A six-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after falling at Jewel Changi Airport’s Walking Net attraction on Dec 10, 2025, an incident that later required him to undergo facial reconstruction surgery.
Speaking to Mothership, the boy’s father, who wished to be identified only as Richard, said his younger son was playing at the attraction when he tripped over the net and fell, hitting his face against an exposed wooden platform. At the time of the incident, the attraction was not crowded and no other children were nearby.
Richard was at work when the accident happened and was informed by his wife. She said their son began crying immediately after the fall and was bleeding heavily. Jewel staff quickly provided first aid, helped stop the bleeding, recorded the family’s contact details and later assisted them in arranging transport home.
The child was first taken to Changi General Hospital but was redirected to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital due to the severity of his injuries. Richard said his son was semi-conscious by the time he arrived at the hospital, and doctors later confirmed that the fall had caused a severe nasal bone fracture.
The boy underwent complex facial surgery the following day, during which surgeons had to close three layers of tissue, leaving him with dozens of stitches. Doctors told the family that he would be left with a permanent facial scar, with laser treatment possibly reducing — but not eliminating — its appearance in the future.
Richard expressed concern over the physical and emotional trauma his son endured, adding that the injury might have been prevented if the exposed wooden platform had been padded or covered.
He also claimed that no immediate safety measures were taken after the incident. While Jewel contacted the family the following day and later informed them that its insurer would follow up, Richard said he was told weeks later that no changes had been made to the attraction pending approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
In response, a Jewel Changi Airport Development spokesperson said staff had immediately rendered first aid and offered further medical assistance, which was not taken up by the child’s parent. The spokesperson added that Jewel has remained in contact with the family and reiterated that visitors are required to follow safety guidelines, including not running on the Walking Net.
The spokesperson said all guests undergo a safety briefing before entering the attraction, children must be supervised by adults at all times, and Rangers are stationed on-site to provide assistance and safety reminders. In this case, Rangers had issued several reminders to the child’s group not to run prior to the incident.
Jewel also said the Walking Net is a BCA-regulated attraction that undergoes annual inspections and safety checks. Following the accident, BCA conducted an additional investigation and re-verified that the attraction complies with regulatory requirements.
