The family of a British teen who was killed by a boat propeller while on a school trip to the Maldives say they are still waiting for answers as they set up a fundraiser to help with legal fees.
Jenna Chan, 15, was killed in a horrific snorkelling accident on November 8 during a week-long school trip assisting the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme.
She was a student at St Joseph’s International Institution, a private school in Singapore.
According to Maldivian news outlet The Edition, the teen and her peers had just gotten into the sea when suddenly the engine of the boat turned on.
The ship then reversed into the crowd of school children and Jenna was dragged under by the propeller.
It has been over a month since Jenna’s sudden death, and her heartbroken parents Alan Chan and Jennifer Liauw have spoken out about how they are ‘still waiting for answers’.
Speaking to The Times, Jenna’s parents said they had not been able to contact their daughter during her week-long trip due to a no phone school policy and regret that they never ‘properly said goodbye’.
They also claim that Maldivian officials were unable to offer them a post-mortem examination of their daughter’s body and have not been shown any witness statements from the teachers and students who were with Jenna at the time of her tragic death.
The family also claims there was ‘no real investigation’ into the accident and believe there was a ‘chain of errors’ throughout the excursion.
Jenna’s older sister Alice, 17, has started a GoFundMe to raise awareness over the schoolgirl’s horrific accident and to help with legal fees as the family fights to get answers.
‘My sister, 15 year old British-Singaporean Jenna Chan, was killed in a propeller accident during a school trip in the Maldives’, the caption for the fundraiser said.
‘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.’
The fundraiser has so far raised nearly £4,600 of its £10,000 target.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British national who died in the Maldives and are in contact with the local authorities.’
Jenna has been described by her loved ones as ‘caring’ and ‘nurturing’.
She was laid to rest on November 15 in Singapore.