A full timeline of Jay Slater’s disappearance after ’29 days of constant search’ in Tenerife

After 29 days of searching, the body found yesterday in Tenerife has been confirmed to be of 19-year-old missing Jay Slater.

The teenager went missing after attending the NRG festival on June 16th. He was last seen leaving the remote village of Masca, where he had visited an Airbnb for an after party.

Having walked north into the mountains before becoming lost, Jay’s body was recovered in an area so “inaccessible” that search teams needed a helicopter to retrieve it.

Here’s a complete timeline of Jay Slater’s disappearance.

Monday 17th of June – Jay goes missing

via Facebook

Jay Slater left the NRG festival in Playa de las Américas, travelling 40 minutes by car back to the apartment of two men he had met that night in the town of Masca.

On the morning of the 17th of June, the apprentice bricklayer embarked on a 10 hour walk back to his own apartment, last being seen by the owner of a cafe walking north into the mountains, instead of catching a bus south to Los Cristianos where he’d been staying with friends.

Jay’s last phone call was at 8:50am on the 17th to Lucy Mae Law, a friend who attended the festival with him. Lucy explained that Jay seemed confused on the call, telling her he was “in the middle of mountains”, his phone was on one per cent charge, and that he was desperate for water. He told her he had missed a bus, and that a cactus had cut his leg open.

Most Read

People have spotted a huge I’m A Celeb editing error proving a bushtucker trial was staged

Finally, Adam has actually addressed the rumours he and Amy are dating after MAFS UK

All the mega-famous actors who also auditioned for each Wicked role

Before his phone ran out of charge, it pinged in Rural de Teno Park, a mountainous area of a national park and a 10 hour walk away from where Jay was staying with his friends.

Jay’s friend Lucy contacted the British Embassy in Tenerife at approximately 9am to report him as missing. The police were made aware of the situation, and Jay’s friends began to call attention to what he was wearing at the festival before he went missing. He was dressed in a black rucksack, white t-shirt, shorts, and trainers.

Tuesday 18th June – Searches begin and Jay’s family arrived in Tenerife

Jay’s friends began to search the mountainous area where his phone last pinged his location on Tuesday the 18th of June, but find no traces of him. Search and rescue teams begin searching along with Spanish police. Sniffer dogs and a helicopter are also deployed to the scene.

UK police alert Jay’s mother, Debbie Duncan, and his step-dad, Andy Watson, of Jay’s disappearance. By 11am that morning, Debbie and Jay’s brother, Zac Slater, arrived in Tenerife.

Debbie and Jay’s sister-in-law, Jessica Rogers, appeals to the public through Facebook posts, expressing their worries and lack of updates.

Back in the UK, Jay’s friends monitored the Tenerife national park 24 hour webcams in the hopes of locating him.

Wednesday 19th June – A false lead delayed searches in the correct area

Police were made aware of reports of sightings of the teenager in the tourist areas of Tenerife, deviating their search. They focused efforts to the south of Tenerife, in Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas, the latter of which being where the festival took place.

By the evening on Wednesday the 19th of June, the search resumes at the national park and locals begin to distribute missing person posters.

Thursday 20th June – GoFundMe set up to support Jay’s family

Jay with his mother, Debbie, and brother, Zak (via Facebook)

By the 20th June, Lucy sets up a GoFundMe campaign with a target of £30,000 in order to help cover living expenses for Jay’s family whilst they assist with the search in Tenerife.

A video emerges of Jay before he disappeared, showing him staggering to his feet at a rave with a t-shirt hanging around his neck as others turn their heads to look at him.

Another image of a grainy CCTV still is hoped to show Jay walking near a church said to be in Santiago del Teide, 10 hours after his mobile phone last pinged.

Jay’s family turn off their phones after being swamped with media requests and messages online.

Sunday 30th June – Active search for Jay is called off

Search for Jay in the area where he disappeared is called off. Spanish Police say they are still investigating the case, following up on tip-offs and reviewing CCTV in hopes of finding him.

Jay’s family say they are “heartbroken” and that they “will continue to search for him”.

Wednesday 3rd July – Jay’s dad and brother continue to search

via Facebook

Following the search being called off, Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan announces in a GoFundMe update that she will use some of the £48,000 raised in donations to supply equipment, essentials and accommodation to volunteers searching for Jay. She added that some of the funds would be used to support Spanish rescue teams.

Wednesday 3rd July – Identity of one of the men Jay went to Airbnb with revealed

Ayub Qassim is named as one of the men Jay went to the Airbnb with. Mr Qassim responds, saying: “Jay came to the house alive, and he left the house alive… I haven’t even done anything.”

Thursday 4th July – Searchers pull out, claiming they didn’t receive any money

Callum Fahim claims he wasn’t given any money to assist in the search, despite Debbie’s previous claims. He pulls out of the search and leaves Tenerife.

Debbie claims she sent Callum’s group £740 herself, but removed his name from the update on GoFundMe.

Monday 15th July – A body was found

After weeks of searching, a body is located in Masca at around 10am by the Spanish Civil Guard. The body was found in an “inaccessible area” with Jay’s belongings. The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands said in a statement that “the death was caused by trauma consistent with a fall in a rocky area.”

The body was airlifted out of a ravine by helicopter.

Tuesday 16th July – Body confirmed to be Jay Slater

The body is confirmed to be Jay Slater by the Canary Islands High Court of Justice after after positive finger print test results. His documents were also found with him.

A spokesman for the Spanish Civil Guard has said: “Thanks to the incessant and constant search carried out by the different units of the Civil Guard, in which they have not stopped searching for the young man every day in the Masca area, where he had allegedly disappeared, this morning GREIM agents, Mountain specialists, have found the lifeless body of the young man in a very inaccessible area.”

Debbie Duncan has said in a statement regarding her son’s death: “I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken.”

Matthew Searle, who works with the charity LBT Global, has been aiding Jay’s family in their time of need. He said: “We are working with the family now to sort out the next steps of taking Jay home, recovery of his belongings and laying him to rest.”

Related stories recommended by this writer: 

• Georgia Steel is being dragged for ‘get ready with me for the mosque’ video in Abu Dhabi

• Student at £43k a year school found guilty of attempted murder after ‘bloodbath’ attack

• ‘Tone deaf’: Influencer called out for posting her outfit inspiration for visiting Auschwitz

Featured image via Facebook