A Royal Caribbean passenger has died after being detained after allegedly assaulting crew members and threatening other travelers in a drunken rage, according to reports.
Michael Virgil, 35, died Friday after being injected with some type of sedative by a security guard on a cruise ship bound for Ensenada, his family alleges. FOX11 reported.
Virgil allegedly threatened to kill others and assaulted two crew members during a violent riot that began less than an hour after the Navigator left San Pedro, according to the Los Angeles Press. Ru.
He allegedly kicked one Royal Caribbean staff member in the face and punched another.
“The drunk gentleman said he was going to kill us,” fellow traveler Kristifer Mikhail told police. “He started chasing us down the hallway.”
Mikhail said he jumped into a towel closet and ran with the crew members who were trapped inside.
Virgil then tried to kick the door open multiple times, a video of the altercation filmed by Mikhail showed. According to the video, he repeatedly kicked the door with his steel-toed boot while yelling profanity, then took off his shirt in the ship's hallway.
He also allegedly went on a racist rant, according to FOX 11.
“I was a little scared,” Mikhail said. “I'm stuck in this hallway. The guy he hit went flying back a few feet, so he could have flipped me and thrown me about 30 feet.”
Several members of Royal Caribbean's security team were eventually able to restrain the exhausted Virgil using zip ties, handcuffs, bears and pepper spray, according to witnesses and video footage.
The disorderly traveler died within an hour after his family said he was injected with a sedative, the agency said.
Virgil's devastated family told FOX 11 that his shocking rant was unbecoming of a father who was on a cruise with his 7-year-old autistic son and fiancee. Ta.
“He didn't deserve to die over that,” a relative told the station.
The cause of his death is under autopsy. The FBI is investigating the altercation and death.
Royal Caribbean told FOX 11 in a statement, “We are saddened by the passing of one of our guests,” adding, “We are providing support to the family and working with authorities on the investigation.” said.
The cruise line did not immediately respond to messages from the Post.
