The fiancée of Michael Virgil alleges crew members over-served him alcohol, violently restrained him, and contributed to his death; the L.A. County Medical Examiner ruled it a homicide.
Royal Caribbean is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the fiancée of Michael Virgil, 35, who died aboard the Navigator of the Seas in December 2024.
The lawsuit, filed by Connie Aguilar in federal court in Miami, accuses the cruise line of gross negligence, alleging that crew members served Virgil at least 33 alcoholic beverages, then violently subdued him in a prone restraint that restricted his breathing and led to his death.
Royal Caribbean has not commented on the lawsuit.
ALLEGED OVER-SERVING, INTOXICATION & ESCALATION
Aguilar, her fiancé, and their child were on a round-trip cruise from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico, when the incident occurred. According to the complaint, crew members continued to serve Virgil alcohol even though he showed “visible signs of obvious intoxication.”
The lawsuit states that after consuming more than two dozen drinks, Virgil became disoriented and agitated while attempting to locate his cabin.
Video obtained by KTTV shows Virgil kicking a cabin door and shouting profanities.
A passenger told the station that Virgil threatened him and a crew member, prompting the crew member to lock himself inside a towel room.
Moments later, security guards restrained Virgil.
THE RESTRAINT: “FULL BODY WEIGHT” & PROLONGED PRONE HOLD
The lawsuit claims that crew members:
- Tackled Virgil to the ground
- Placed their full body weight on his back and torso
- Held him in a prolonged prone restraint
- Compromised his breathing
- Administered a sedative at the captain’s direction
- Used pepper spray on him
Aguilar alleges this combination caused:
- Respiratory failure
- Cardiac arrest
- Death
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, citing:
- Mechanical asphyxia
- Obesity
- Enlarged heart
- Alcohol intoxication
ALLEGATIONS OF INADEQUATE TRAINING & MEDICAL CARE
The lawsuit further claims that:
- Onboard medical staff lacked proper education, licensing, and emergency-care experience
- Crew members were not properly trained to determine when alcohol service should have been stopped
- Staff used excessive force and failed to follow recognized safety protocols for handling intoxicated passengers
Aguilar is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.
Royal Caribbean — headquartered in Miami and the world’s second-largest cruise operator — has faced litigation in the past over onboard medical care and security practices, though every case is governed by separate facts.
