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Parents whose daughter, 15, was killed by boat propeller during school trip to Maldives lash out at way school have treated them and reveal ‘devastating’ moment teachers’ actions left them stunned
Jennifer Liauw and Alan Chan say they are still seeking answers about how their 15-year-old daughter Jenna died during a compulsory school expedition to the Maldives in November 2024. They have filed a negligence claim against her Singapore school, St Joseph’s Institution International, after nearly two years of pursuing information through other channels.
Jenna was entering the water to snorkel with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme when a boat moved and struck her, catching her in its propeller. Her parents say they have not received a complete, independently established account of the incident and were deeply upset by a school email that arrived as they were being told of her death. They say they had asked about risks before the trip and trusted the school’s briefings.
In short
- Jenna Chan died aged 15 on a school trip to the Maldives.
- Her parents say key questions about the incident remain unanswered.
- They have filed a negligence claim against her Singapore school.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The parents’ case is that a school organising a compulsory overseas expedition owed pupils a high duty of care, especially around a foreseeable risk such as boats and propellers near snorkellers. They say they raised safety concerns, trusted the school’s briefings and still lack a complete independent account, making a negligence claim a reasonable way to seek answers and accountability.
The case against
The school may argue that a fatal accident, however devastating, does not by itself establish negligence, and that responsibility depends on what precautions were reasonable and how the incident unfolded. It may also say that its communications and handling should be assessed against the information available at the time, while a formal claim is the appropriate process for establishing disputed facts and responsibility.
Explained simply
Jenna Liauw was 15 when she died during a compulsory school expedition to the Maldives in November 2024. She was entering the water to snorkel with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme when a moving boat struck her and its propeller caused fatal injuries.
Her parents, Jennifer Liauw and Alan Chan, say they had asked the school about risks and relied on its trip briefings. They are seeking a full account of how the incident happened and have brought a negligence claim against St Joseph’s Institution International, the Singapore school Jenna attended.
The case concerns the school’s responsibilities for pupils on an overseas trip and how families are informed after a death. The parents say they remain without a complete, independently established account of what happened.