A passenger’s death after he was allegedly served at least 33 drinks and later restrained on his family cruise has been ‘ruled a homicide’, according to a lawsuit.
Michael Virgil, 35, died aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas that sailed from Los Angeles to Mexico On December 13, 2024.
His fiancée, Connie Aguilar, and their seven-year-old autistic son were also aboard the ship.
A lawsuit filed by Michael’s family alleges he was given drinks at a bar on the cruise last December before he went on a drunken rampage that was caught on camera.
Christopher McHale, a fellow cruise passenger who filmed the erratic behaviour, told Fox 11 News that just an hour after departing from a port, Michael got off the elevator on the wrong floor.
The footage showed Michael in the hallway yelling, screaming profanities and attempting to kick a door in.
At one point, he takes off his shirt as a crowd of passengers gathered in the hallway to witness the chaotic scene.
Witnesses claimed Michael allegedly assaulted multiple crew members and threatened to kill passengers before the cruise’s security intervened, Fox 11 reported.
The lawsuit says that trouble began moments after the family boarded the cruise and learned their room was not ready.
It also claimed that the cruise line failed to intervene to ‘protect’ Michael’s life, stating: ‘At all relevant times hereto, Royal Caribbean had the right to refuse the continued service of alcohol to any patron visibly intoxicated.’
The filed lawsuit says that, when security moved in, crew members tackled him and ‘stood on [him] with their full body weight,’ making it difficult for Michael to move.
It is also alleged that the ship’s captain ordered that he be injected with the sedative Haloperidol, and that ‘multiple cans’ of pepper spray were used.
According to the NHS, Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medicine which can help with feelings of anxiety and other symptoms of mental health conditions.
Within hours of being restrained, Michael died, according to the filing.
(Picture: FOX11)
The wrongful-death suit seeks damages including loss of support, inheritance, further earnings, funeral and medical expenses, and mental pain and suffering.
Family attorney Kevin Haynes said in a statement: ‘Michael’s family has suffered unimaginable heartache and torment caused by Royal Caribbean, a mega cruise line that prioritizes profit over passenger safety.
‘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.
‘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.’
Metro has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.
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