Boy, 15, dies after falling from height during school camp
He loses consciousness while suspended by safety harness; all school activities involving heights suspended
A teenage student died yesterday morning, a day after he lost his footing and fell while negotiating a high-element course.
The 15-year-old boy from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) had taken part in the course during his school's camp programme at the adventure sports centre at Safra Yishun on Wednesday afternoon.
All schools have suspended outdoor activities involving heights - such as rock climbing and rope obstacles - with immediate effect.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said the suspension of such outdoor activities will remain in place until investigations into the death are completed.
The police said yesterday that the boy was suspended by a safety harness after he lost his footing and fell while navigating the course.
But when he was being lowered to the ground, he lost consciousness.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call for assistance at about 1.50pm. When its first responders arrived at the scene, they immediately tried to resuscitate the victim and applied an automated external defibrillator on him.
The boy was then taken unconscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he died the next morning.
The police, who questioned the instructors about the incident, said that preliminary investigations suggest there was no foul play. Investigations are ongoing.
The school activity was organised by Camelot, an outdoor adventure learning company. High-element activities are sometimes used as part of school camps to instil confidence in students.
They may involve participants clearing obstacles at height while wearing safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses and ropes.
In a joint statement yesterday, MOE and ACS (I) said they were greatly saddened by the boy's death.
"Together, we are working closely to give our fullest support to the family as well as the student's classmates and teachers during this trying time," they said.
"The safety of our students has always been a priority for us, and we are working with the police and relevant parties to investigate the incident."
A Safra spokesman told The New Paper that all activities at the adventure sports centre have been suspended due to the ongoing investigations.
A Camelot spokesman said it is working with MOE and ACS (I) to provide support to the boy's family and are cooperating with the relevant authorities.
Camelot is a member of the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Association (OLAE), which represents more than 20 operators of camp and enrichment programmes here.
OLAE honorary secretary Delane Lim told TNP yesterday that he was saddened to learn of the student's death. The tragedy will also have a significant impact on the outdoor learning community, he added.
Members of OLAE met last night to discuss the ramifications of the incident.
Mr Lim noted that all outdoor instructors must be certified and registered, either by MOE or by the independent operators that employ them.
"Before any programme, instructors ensure all equipment are in working condition. They are also required to provide an equipment briefing on the use of helmets and harnesses," he said.
Mr Lim urged the public to let the authorities conduct their investigations and not to let the incident affect their confidence in a beneficial activity for young people.
He said: "Apart from building confidence, outdoor activities can develop character and friendships.
"Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will use this time out to consolidate and review our safety procedures to ensure our young people can benefit from experiential learning safely."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now