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THE devastated parents of a British teenager killed on a school trip claim they’ve been forced to investigate her death themselves.
Jenna Chan, 15, died after being struck by a boat propeller while snorkelling in the Maldives.
Jenna Chan, 15, died in the horror snorkelling accident[/caption]
Her parents say they have been forced to investigate the cause of her death themselves[/caption]
British-Singaporean dual national Jenna was a student at St Joseph’s International Institution and had been assisting the British registered charity, the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP), in its research expedition.
On November 8 last year, the school girl was allegedly beckoned into the water but within minutes was “sucked under” when the engine was switched on.
Her parents, Alan and Jennifer Chan, have said that more than a month after the tragic incident they are “still waiting for answers” and have “been forced to become their own investigators”.
As a state, the Maldives does not provide post-mortem examinations so the couple are hunting for information about their daughter’s death “completely” on their own.
Jennifer told The Times: “We just want to know why Jenna died. There is no justice and we are completely on our own.”
Alan flew out to the island in March to get hold of the hospital CT scans that were used by police to determine a possible cause of death.
Jennifer, a surgeon, examined the pictures with her colleagues who she said were horrified “because Jenna’s injuries were so horrific”.
The couple said they haven’t even been allowed to speak to any of the teachers who were on board the boat at the time of the incident.
They believe there was “no real investigation” into the accident, adding that there was a “chain of errors” throughout the excursion, they claim.
According to some of the students, Jenna was reportedly instructed to enter the water while the guides tracked dolphins.
The teenager was then allegedly “sucked up” by the engine before reportedly being brought to the nearest hotel instead of hospital.
Michael Johnston, CEO of St Joseph’s International Institution , previously wrote to the parents informing them that efforts to piece together what had happened to Jenna were being impeded by MWSRP.
According to the school’s boss, the company was “refusing” to provide access to their staff and crew for interviews.
“We remain exasperated at their lack of co-operation,” he said.
There has been silence from the Maldivian government and all news about her has ceased
Jenna’s sister, Alice Chan
Jenna’s 17-year-old sister Alice has started a GoFundMe to raise awareness of the teen’s accident and help with legal fees while the family fight for answers.
The caption for the fundraiser reads: “My sister, 15 year old British-Singaporean Jenna Chan, was killed in a propeller accident during a school trip in the Maldives.
“There has been silence from the Maldivian government and all news about her has ceased.
“The circumstances leading to her sudden death and negligence of the company is truly shocking to our family and her teenage friends, who witnessed her death.
“Please help support us during this tough time for our family and loved ones, and spread the word about her case.
“All donations will go towards our fight for Jenna and protection of all future children and tourists, by providing our Maldivian lawyers with the legal fees and financial support to take more cases just like this one.”
We just want to know why Jenna died. There is no justice and we are completely on our own
Jenna’s mum, Jennifer Chan
So far, £6,595 of its £10,000 has been raised.
Jenna was laid to rest on November 15 in Singapore.
A spokesperson for the young girl’s school said that it had been “unrelenting” in its efforts to find out what happened and is still waiting on a report from the Maldivian authorities.
In a statement, the school said: “The school has been unrelenting in our efforts to piece together a full account of what happened.
“The Maldivian authorities investigation is still ongoing and we have yet to receive their report.
“The Maldivian authorities and MWSRP have not given us access to interview the boat captain and crew nor the MWSRP staff. These are critical pieces for all of us.
“I can confirm that the Maldives Police Service was in Singapore and with the support of the Singapore Police Force facilitated interviews with witnesses on May 27 and 28, 2025.
“We continue to actively support the investigation. We have not and will not stop seeking answers and supporting those involved.”
The MWSRP said: “At the time of the incident, Ms Chan was under the supervision of two teaching staff from SJII and an experienced boat crew.
“The emergency response was in accordance with our procedures and Ms Chan was taken directly to a local health centre.”
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