Royal Caribbean sued after man’s death ruled homicide on cruise ship

The household of a 35-year-old man who died aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise after allegedly being served 33 alcoholic drinks has filed a lawsuit seven months after an post-mortem dominated his demise a murder.

Michael Virgil, 35, and his household boarded Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas in Los Angeles on December 13, 2024, for a four-day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, a visit they stated could be a enjoyable trip.

What began as a routine departure rapidly unraveled after an onboard incident involving safety that will later turn into the main target of a authorized battle, in accordance with the lawsuit.

The household — which incorporates Virgil’s longtime fiancée and their younger son who has autism — has filed a wrongful demise criticism within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of Florida.

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Michael Virgil, 35, will be seen kicking a door earlier than being taken down by safety on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. (Obtained by FOX 11 Los Angeles)

The lawsuit claims the cruise line is chargeable for his demise, alleging he was overserved after which subjected to what it calls the extreme use of drive and deadly actions of crew members.

In keeping with the criticism, the household was directed to a bar with stay music as a result of their cabin was not prepared. Whereas they waited, Virgil’s then seven-year-old son turned stressed and left together with his mom to test the room, leaving Virgil alone.

The lawsuit alleges that crew members negligently served him at the very least 33 alcoholic drinks inside hours of the ship’s departure, after which he turned drunk and more and more agitated whereas attempting to find his cabin.

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Safety and crew members allegedly tackled Virgil and restrained him, compressing his physique till he stopped transferring. The criticism states that on the route of the workers captain, the crew injected him with the anesthetic Haloperidol and used three cans of pepper spray.

In keeping with the lawsuit, the mix of restraint, use of sedatives and pepper spray triggered important hypoxia, decreased air flow, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability and in the end cardiac arrest. The health worker later dominated the demise a murder.

The health worker wrote that the reason for demise was “the mixed results of mechanical asphyxia, weight problems, cardiomegaly and ethanol intoxication.” The report additionally states that the damage resulted from “physique compression throughout restraint by a number of ship safety personnel” and “ethanol ingestion.”

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Virgil’s physique remained refrigerated on board till the ship returned to Los Angeles on December 16, 2024.

“Michael’s household has suffered unimaginable grief and torment by the hands of Royal Caribbean, a mega-cruise line that places revenue over passenger security,” stated Kevin Haynes, a accomplice at Kherkher Garcia. “Crew members, together with safety and medical personnel, are required to bear rigorous competency coaching; it is rather clear that Royal Caribbean is totally negligent in hiring, coaching and supervising its huge fleet of maritime staff.

“What ought to have been a beautiful household vacation got here to an unimaginably tragic finish due to the despicable manner wherein the state of affairs – which ought to by no means have occurred – was dealt with,” Haynes added.

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An overhead view of Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas cruise ship. (Royal Caribbean)

The criticism additionally notes that Virgil bought the “Deluxe Beverage Bundle,” which provides passengers entry to almost the entire ship’s beverage choices, together with alcohol. It explains that alcohol gross sales are amongst Royal Caribbean’s high income streams and that the ships are designed with quite a few retailers on the ships.

“We’re seeing an extremely alarming variety of severe accidents and fatalities on cruise ships not too long ago,” Haynes stated. “Our objective is to drive systemic adjustments in the way in which this trade operates, to make sure no particular person or household experiences a tragedy like this once more.”

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By the lawsuit, Michael Virgil’s property is searching for judgment for damages underneath the Dying on the Excessive Seas Act, together with lack of assist, inheritance, previous and future revenue and internet accumulations. The household can also be searching for funeral and medical bills, lack of companionship and safety and psychological ache and struggling, amongst different damages.

Royal Caribbean avoided commenting on the main points of the case as a result of pending authorized matter.

“We had been saddened by the demise of certainly one of our company, had been cooperating with authorities of their investigation and can chorus from additional touch upon pending litigation,” the spokesperson informed Fox Information Digital.