Family Sues Royal Caribbean After Man Allegedly Served 33 Drinks, Restrained Aboard Ship; Autopsy Rules Death A Homicide

The family of 35-year-old Michael Virgil has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Royal Caribbean, seven months after a county medical examiner ruled his death aboard the cruise ship Navigator of the Seas a homicide. Virgil, his longtime fiancée and their young son boarded the vessel in Los Angeles on Dec. 13, 2024, for a four-day voyage to Ensenada, Mexico that the family says ended in tragedy.

Allegations in the Complaint

According to the federal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the family was directed to a bar with live music because their cabin was not yet ready. While Virgil remained at the bar, his then-7-year-old son—who has autism—left with his mother to check the cabin, leaving Virgil alone.

The suit alleges that within hours of departure Virgil was negligently served at least 33 alcoholic drinks. The complaint says he became visibly intoxicated and, while trying to find his cabin, grew increasingly agitated. Ship security and other crew members allegedly tackled and restrained him, compressing his body until he stopped moving.

Use Of Sedative And Pepper Spray

The filing further alleges that, at the direction of the staff captain, crew members injected Virgil with the antipsychotic sedative haloperidol and deployed three cans of pepper spray while subduing him. The family’s lawyers say the combination of prolonged physical restraint, sedation and chemical exposure led to significant hypoxia, impaired ventilation, respiratory failure, cardiovascular instability and ultimately cardiopulmonary arrest.

"The cause of death was the combined effects of mechanical asphyxia, obesity, cardiomegaly and ethanol intoxication," the medical examiner wrote, adding that the injury occurred from "body compression during restraint by multiple ship security personnel" and "ingestion of ethanol."

Virgil’s body reportedly remained in refrigerated storage aboard the ship until it returned to Los Angeles on Dec. 16, 2024.

Legal Claims And Relief Sought

The estate has filed a wrongful death complaint seeking damages under the Death on the High Seas Act, including loss of support and inheritance, past and future earnings, funeral and medical expenses, loss of companionship and protection, and mental pain and suffering. The complaint also urges industry-wide reforms, criticizing Royal Caribbean’s hiring, training and supervision of shipboard security and medical personnel.

Kevin Haynes, a partner at Kherkher Garcia who represents the family, said in a statement that the company prioritized profit over passenger safety and called the handling of the incident "reprehensible."

Royal Caribbean declined to comment on the specifics while the matter is pending in court. A company spokesperson told Fox News Digital the line was "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 lawsuit remains active in federal court as the family seeks accountability and damages, and calls for measures to prevent similar tragedies on cruise ships going forward.