Former child pop star sues SIA, alleges satay stick damaged vocal cord

A former child pop star has taken legal action against Singapore Airlines (SIA) after a splinter from a satay stick was allegedly stuck in her throat, damaging her vocal cords.

Briohny Smyth, 44, was a Thai-Australian pop star in her youth who attained a platinum album at 13 years old.

Stepping away from the limelight, she eventually became a yoga instructor in Los Angeles, California.

On July 28, 2024, Smyth had been in a business class flight on board an SIA plane when she "unknowingly swallowed a jagged wooden splinter" from a chicken satay skewer that was part of her in-flight meal, reported The Independent last Friday (July 31).

She said she was on board SIA flight SQ36 from Singapore to Los Angeles that day.

The splinter, purportedly measuring 3.8cm, was then stuck in her throat, causing her pain, violent coughing and terror as she felt choked, The Independent reported, citing a federal lawsuit.

Filed on July 24, the civil lawsuit also alleges that Smyth had to endure "pain and emotional distress" as she attempted to remove the splinter mid-flight.

She was eventually able to do so, but not without consequences — Smyth allegedly had "persistent throat discomfort, vocal fatigue, raspiness, tightness, and pain with prolonged speaking and singing" following the incident, the British online paper stated.

An otolaryngologist — a doctor specialising in the ear, nose and throat — allegedly determined that Smyth had sustained scarring and trauma to her vocal cords "consistent with injury from a sharp foreign object".

The lawsuit also argues that Smyth had been consuming the meal as intended, and that the injury affects her livelihood as she requires her voice to operate as a singer, educator and public speaker.

Additionally, the experience has also allegedly inflicted her with anxiety when it comes to eating or flying.

Responding to queries from AsiaOne, SIA shared that they are unable to comment on legal matters before the courts.

AsiaOne has contacted Smyth for more information.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com