A passenger onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise has reportedly died just hours after being restrained following a violent outburst.
The incident unfolded when the allegedly intoxicated passenger, since named as Michael Virgil, began hurling racial slurs, profanity, and threats before launching into physical assaults.
Video footage captured by fellow passenger Christopher Mikhail, who was celebrating his birthday and anniversary onboard, shows the dramatic scene as it played out.
The unruly guest is reported to have kicked a crew member in the face, punched another passenger, and chased guests through the hallways of the ship.
Crew members quickly stepped in to contain the situation, armed with zip ties, towels, pepper spray, and handcuffs.
However a relative of the restrained man has since said that they died whilst being held in the cruise line’s jail, after being injected with a sedative.
The family said that Virgil’s actions were uncharacteristic, and that he had been cruising with his fiancé and 7-year-old son.
The FBI is investigating the matter.
“We are saddened by the passing of one of our guests. We offered support to the family and are working with authorities on their investigation.”
Royal Caribbean statement.
Mikhail said he spent the remainder of his holiday recounting the incident to Royal Caribbean management and the FBI.
The Navigator of the Seas was on a short weekend cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, and had departed from the Port of Los Angeles.
Despite the unsettling start, there were no reports of significant delays to the ship’s itinerary.
Incidents like this highlight the challenges cruise lines face in maintaining onboard safety. Although cruise ships have security teams trained for such events, confrontations like these can disrupt the guest experience, especially when they happen so early in a voyage.
Royal Caribbean has a policy of zero tolerance for violence or unruly behaviour aboard its ships.
However incidents ending in tragedy such as this are exceptionally rare, and thoughts are will the family of the passenger.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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Cruise lines need to provide a better menu of adult non alcoholic drinks and not just soft drinks.
This could help with people over drinking alcoholic drinks.