A CRUISE passenger’s death has been ruled a homicide after he was allegedly served 33 drinks and later restrained during a shipboard meltdown, a lawsuit has claimed.
The suit, brought by the family of Michael Virgil, 35, alleges he was given the drinks at a bar aboard the Navigator of the Seas last December before he went on a drunken rampage caught on camera.
Footage showed the Royal Caribbean passenger in a hallway, yelling and attempting to kick down a door.
At one point, he removes his shirt as a crowd gathers to witness the chaotic scene.
Witnesses claimed Virgil allegedly assaulted multiple crew members and threatened to kill passengers before security intervened, TMZ and Fox 11 reported.
According to the lawsuit, trouble began moments after Virgil, his fiancée Connie Aguilar, and their seven-year-old autistic son boarded the Mexico-bound cruise from Los Angeles and learned their room wasn’t ready.
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The suit also claims the cruise line failed to intervene to “protect” Virgil’s life.
It states: “At all relevant times hereto, Royal Caribbean had the right to refuse the continued service of alcohol to any patron visibly intoxicated.”
Intoxicated and searching for his room, Virgil allegedly became agitated and aggressive.
Security moved in, with the filing saying crew members tackled him and “stood on [him] with their full body weight,” making it difficult for him to breathe.
The lawsuit further alleges the ship’s captain ordered he be injected with sedative Haloperidol, and that “multiple cans” of pepper spray were used.
Virgil’s family claims these “excessive force and fatal actions taken by crew members including security and medical personnel” caused “significant hypoxia and impaired ventilation, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest, leading to his death which has been ruled a homicide.”
He died within hours of being restrained, according to the filing. His family initially alleged a sedative injection killed him and maintains that position.
The wrongful-death suit seeks damages including loss of support, inheritance, future earnings, funeral and medical expenses, and mental pain and suffering.
Family attorney Kevin Haynes said: “Michael’s family has suffered unimaginable heartache and torment caused by Royal Caribbean, a mega cruise line that prioritizes profit over passenger safety.”
He added: “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 also warned: “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.”
The Sun has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment on the lawsuit.
In a statement to TMZa Royal Caribbean spokesperson said the company was saddened by Virgil’s death but would not address the claims while the case is active.
They said: “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.”