Woman who died kayaking off Sentosa in 2023 could have been wearing faulty life jacket: Investigator
Ms Chew Jia Tian went missing at sea during a kayaking trip with three others in October 2023. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
SINGAPORE – A woman who died while kayaking off Sentosa Island in 2023 could have been wearing a personal flotation device that was faulty, a Maritime and Port Authority investigator said on July 4.
Captain Cheong Kwee Thiam was speaking at a coroner’s inquiry into the death of Ms Chew Jia Tian, 33, that was attended by her parents.
Ms Chew went missing at sea during a kayaking trip with three other kayakers on the morning of Oct 22, 2023, and her body was found two days later following a search-and-rescue mission.
Capt Cheong, who is a principal marine investigator, said in court on July 4 that when he opened up a back pocket of Ms Chew’s personal flotation device, he found the crotch strap neatly folded.
Part of the strap’s buckle was found to be missing, and Capt Cheong said his resultant finding was that she had bought a personal flotation device that was defective.
Earlier in the proceedings, Station Inspector Muhammad Ruzaini Osman, the investigating officer from the Police Coast Guard, said Ms Chew, Mr Lee Kuok Ming and Mr Loh Kin Huat had planned to set off from Sentosa on the day of the incident and kayak to the Southern Islands.
Before the trio set off at 9.30am, Mr Lee had noticed that Ms Chew was not using her crotch strap, but as the life jacket did not seem loose, he did not say anything
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