Parents sue SJI International over teen's 2024 death on Maldives trip
What's new: The High Court claim alleges the compulsory Grade 9 expedition was unsafe and seeks damages after 20 months of failed talks.
The parents of Jenna Chan, a 15-year-old St Joseph’s Institution International student who died on a school trip to the Maldives in November 2024, filed a negligence claim against the school in Singapore’s High Court on July 20. The lawsuit argues the school owed Jenna a non-delegable duty of care on a compulsory Grade 9 outdoor education expedition. Jenna died after she was struck by the propeller of a reversing boat while snorkeling near Dhigurah island in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, according to the claim. Her parents allege the school failed to properly assess safety, vet trip provider Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme and ensure adequate supervision. SJII denied the allegations and said it had engaged legal counsel.