The family of a girl who died while on a school trip to the Maldives in 2024 has filed a negligence claim against her school, St Joseph’s Institution International (SJII), in the High Court on July 20, according to a media release by the family’s lawyers.
Jenna Chan, then 15 and a Grade 9 student, died on Nov 8, 2024, during a National Youth Achievement Award overseas expedition to the Indian Ocean island state.
She was reportedly hit by the propeller of a running boat while snorkelling.
This snorkelling part of the trip was organised by an external vendor, the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP).
Jenna’s parents, Jennifer Liauw and Alan Chan, had filed claims against the school as co-administrators of the girl’s estate and as dependants.
They are represented in Singapore by Jennifer Lim of Duxton Hill Chambers (Singapore Group Practice), Jonathan Muk of Nusa Chambers, and Providence Law Asia.
The media release did not state the amount the parents are claiming, but a civil claim is usually heard in the High Court when the claim amount exceeds $250,000.
The statement of claim contends that because Jenna was a child placed in the school’s custody on a compulsory school trip, SJII owed her a non-delegable duty of care that could not be outsourced to a third party.
In the media release, Jenna’s parents said litigation was “a last resort after every other avenue for accountability failed”. It added that the claim followed more than 20 months of seeking accountability through other channels.
Jenna had entered the waters near the Dhigurah island in the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll for a whale shark excursion before she was reportedly struck fatally by the propeller of a reversing boat.
The trip formed part of SJII’s outdoor education programme, which is compulsory for Grade 9 students and a requirement for promotion to the next academic year.
In response to media queries, Jenna’s parents said in a separate statement the main objective of the claim is to have “the comfort and certainty that no other family will have to go through the experience which we have gone through”.
They added: “We just hope Jenna is remembered not only for the way she died, but also for the wonderful person she was. If her story helps make things safer for other children, then some good will have come from an unimaginable loss.”
The Straits Times has contacted the school for its response. The Straits Times
