A former child pop star is suing Singapore Airlines (SIA) after she allegedly suffered lasting vocal cord injuries from swallowing a jagged wooden splinter during an in-flight meal.
She had unknowingly done so after the splinter broke away from a chicken satay skewer.
According to a lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles federal court on 24 July, Briohny Smyth, 44, was travelling Business Class on a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Los Angeles on 28 July, 2024.
Source: @yogawithbriohny on Instagram
The complaint stated that she was eating a chicken satay meal provided by the airline when a piece of the wooden skewer allegedly broke off and became lodged in her throat.
Ms Smyth claimed she experienced “immediate pain”, “choking sensations”, and “violent coughing”.
She allegedly spent much of the flight trying to remove the fragment before eventually coughing up a wooden splinter measuring about 1.5 inches long.
Ms Smyth later visited a throat specialist, who found scarring and trauma to her vocal cords.
Source: KrisFlyer by SIA Group on Facebook, for illustration purposes only.
After the incident, she claimed to have experienced ongoing throat pain, vocal fatigue, raspiness and discomfort while speaking and singing.
She is seeking damages for past and future medical expenses, past and future loss of earnings and earning capacity, and emotional distress.
Ms Smyth became a platinum-selling singer in Thailand at the age of 13.
She is now based in Los Angeles, where she works as a yoga instructor, performer and wellness educator.
The lawsuit stated that her voice is an important part of her work, including teaching classes, speaking publicly and performing.
MS News has reached out to SIA for a statement on the matter.
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Featured image adapted from @yogawithbriohny on Instagram and KrisFlyer by SIA Group on Facebook, for illustration purposes only.