A passenger who died on a Surribbean cruise was pepper sprayed and restrained by staff after he was served 33 drinks and became violent, according to the man’s family and the company.
A video from the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ship showed Michael Virgil at one point crying, kicking the door, without being restrained and being restrained on the ground.
According to a lawsuit filed against a cruise line in Florida last week, crew members had at least 33 drinks before they died on an all-inclusive trip to Mexico last year.
“What should have been a great family holiday came to a sad end due to suspicious circumstances
In an email, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit.
“We were saddened by the passing of one of our guests, we worked with the authorities on the investigation, and we decline to comment any further on the allegations,” said a statement from the Royal Caribbean Group.
The lawsuit states that Virgil, who was from Reshide, boarded the ship on December 13, 2024, with his long-distance patient, with their 7-year-old son, but they were told to wait in the area with live music because their cabin was not available.
The son of Virgil and Aguilar left at the same time to look in their cabin, but the suit said that Virgil served at least 33 drinks immediately after boarding the ship.
Virgil had purchased Royal Caribbean’s “Deluxe Beverage Package,” according to the suit, offering passengers all-inclusive drinks.
The case alleged that prior to the violent altercation with the crew members, Virgil had shown signs of intoxication to the ship’s crew, who proceeded to serve him a large number of drinks.
“Royal Caribbean Crew members improperly serve alcoholic beverages [Virgil] In addition, it caused his judgment and ability to be severely impaired,” the suit says.
While drunk, the suit said, Vitrol became distraught when he got lost and couldn’t find his family’s room.
Cruise and security personnel “put him on the ground and supported his body with their full weight,” according to a statement released by Haynes.
The Crew “uses the suppressive force to [Virgil’s] the body, which caused [Virgil] stop walking,” according to the complaint.
The crew also used several cans of pepper spray and threatened him with the drug, haloperidol, according to the suit.
Physical restraints, the use of pepper spray, and restraints used to restrain the girls, and many alcoholic beverages affected breathing and cardiac instability, the suit said, contradicting his death.
According to the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Eminer, Virgil’s death was determined to be caused by the combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, cardiomegaly, and ethanol intoxication.
The medical examiner’s office also ruled her death a homicide.
“Michael’s family is heartbroken for the pain and suffering caused by Royal Caribbean, a mega cruise line that prioritizes profits over passenger safety,” Haynes said in a statement.
After the death of Virgil, according to the victim, the ship continued to sail towards Ensenada, Mexico, and kept Virgil’s body until it returned to Los Angeles on December 15, 2024.
The Virgil family is seeking damages, including loss of support, inheritance, and medical and funeral expenses.
