A significant development has emerged in the case of a man who died while being held on a cruise ship.
In December last year, it was reported that Michael Virgil, hailing from Moreno Valley, embarked on Royal Caribbean’s ‘Navigator of the Seas’ from Los Angeles for a trip to Mexico with his fiancee and seven-year-old son.
Tragically, within an hour of the ship departing, the 35-year-old reportedly became highly intoxicated in a short timeframe, subsequently assaulting two staff members and allegedly making threats against other passengers.
Footage taken by other passengers seemed to capture Virgil running wildly through the hallway, shirtless, as he attempted to break down a door before being subdued.
Security personnel from Royal Caribbean managed to restrain Virgil using zip ties, handcuffs, and possibly pepper spray. Within an hour, he was deceased.
Virgil’s family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming he was served an excessive 33 alcoholic drinks on the day of his death. The New York Post reports that police are investigating the death as a homicide.
The lawsuit alleges that bar staff “negligently” continued serving Virgil, allowing him to become heavily intoxicated over a few hours.
It is claimed that Virgil consumed at least three dozen alcoholic beverages and became disoriented while trying to locate his room.
The lawsuit further alleges that during the chaos, security staff pinned him to the floor using their full body weight and injected him with Haloperidol, a sedative used for treating psychotic disorders, which led to his death while in custody.
A year later, the family is steadfast in their claims with the newly filed lawsuit.
Virgil’s fiancee alleges that “excessive force and fatal actions” by the crew, including security and medical personnel, resulted in his death. This included the alleged administration of Haloperidol and the use of multiple pepper spray cans, according to the lawsuit.
Reports indicate Virgil died from “significant hypoxia and impaired ventilation, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability, and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest,” leading to his death, which has been classified as a homicide by the lawsuit.
The family is seeking compensation from the cruise line for loss of support, future earnings, medical costs, and for pain and suffering.
They assert that Virgil’s conduct was “uncharacteristic” that day, stating: “He didn’t deserve to die over it.”
Family attorney Kevin Haynes remarked: “Michael’s family has suffered unimaginable heartache and torment caused by Royal Caribbean, a mega cruise line that prioritizes profit over passenger safety,” as reported by The Sun.
“It is very clear that Royal Caribbean is completely negligent in the hiring, training, and supervision of its vast fleet of maritime employees.
“What was supposed to be a beautiful family vacation came to an unimaginably tragic end due to the reprehensible way the situation – that should have never occurred – was handled.”
Haynes added: “We are seeing an incredibly alarming number of serious injuries and fatalities on cruise ships of late.
“Our goal is to force systemic change in the way this industry operates to ensure that no person or family experiences tragedy like this again.”
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told CBS News: “We were saddened by the passing of one of our guests, worked with authorities on their investigation, and will refrain from commenting any further on pending litigation.”