Cruise Company Sued After Man Dies on Ship

A woman filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises on Friday, alleging that her fiance died from overservice of alcoholic beverages and the use of force by crew members on a trip to Mexico last year.

Anthony J. Russo Jr., an attorney representing the woman, Connie Aguilar, told Newsweek that Royal Caribbean “grossly and egregiously violated” its policies.

A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement: “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.”

The Context

Aguilar, acting as a personal representative for the estate of Michael Virgil, filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Aguilar and Virgil have a minor son together, who has autism.

The lawsuit alleged that the overservice of alcoholic beverages leading to intoxication and the use of force by Royal Caribbean crew members while attempting to subdue Virgil when he reportedly became agitated “directly contributed to and caused the physiologic conditions leading to decedent’s death.”

What To Know

The couple was on the Navigator of the Seas cruise ship traveling from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico, at the time of Virgil’s death.

The lawsuit alleged that Royal Caribbean crew members served Virgil at least 33 alcoholic beverages on or about December 13, 2024. Virgil was participating in Royal Caribbean’s all-inclusive drink package.

The complaint stated that Virgil “exhibited obvious visual signs of intoxication, while in plain view of the crew members serving him these alcoholic beverages.”

Attorneys for the plaintiff argued in the filing that crew members “should not have continued to serve alcohol to him while he was exhibiting these visible signs of intoxication, and each of these crewmembers were negligent for continuing to serve decedent alcoholic beverages in his intoxicated state.”

Russo said Virgil “had no history of drinking or any violence.”

Virgil became agitated after he tried to find his cabin room and got lost in the process, the lawsuit said. Royal Caribbean crew members, including security personnel, approached Virgil and tried to subdue him, according to the filing.

“Royal Caribbean crew members, including security personnel, then tackled decedent to the ground, stood on decedent’s body with their full weight, and compressed decedent’s body, causing decedent to stop moving,” attorneys for the plaintiff wrote in the complaint. “The decedent was subjected to prolonged prone restraint with multiple Royal Caribbean crewmembers applying compressive force to decedent’s back and torso, impairing chest expansion, limiting diaphragmatic motion, and obstructing venous return, leading to impaired breathing and hypoxia.”

Crew members also administered an injection of the sedative medication Haloperidol and used multiple cans of pepper spray on Virgil, the lawsuit alleged.

“They gave him a drug that created a situation where he was almost paralyzed with his muscles being relaxed, and then they applied direct pressure to his neck, which caused him to expire,” Russo said.

Virgil’s death was ruled a homicide, according to the complaint. The cruise continued its multiple-day journey to Ensenada following Virgil’s death.

What People Are Saying

Connie Aguilar’s attorney, Anthony J. Russo Jr., told Newsweek: “I think they just have to have better policies, better trained staff, and use a common-sense approach to how to handle situations like this and not be overly aggressive like they were here.”