Michael Virgil, a passenger on the cruise ship Navigator of the Seas by Royal Caribbean, died in an altercation with several crew members on December 13, 2024. The incident happened recently on the ship from San Pedro, CA, en route to Ensenada, Mexico. It is reported that Virgil displayed an erratic and aggressive character, which happened under the influence of alcohol and ended up in a deadly outburst.
Christifer Mikhail, who is reported to have been on the cruise when the alleged altercation erupted, said in an interview with Fox 11:
“The gentleman that was drunk said he was going to kill us. He started chasing us down the hallway.”
The cruise ship confirmed that the passenger was dead and issued this statement, according to the outlet:
“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.”
One witness testified that Virgil was highly visibly intoxicated. Less than an hour into the voyage, Virgil reportedly began his rampage. He began threatening other passengers and crew members, shouting racial epithets and violent threats, according to news reports. Video footage shared by Fox 11 showed Virgil attempting to kick down a door to get to a crew member who sought refuge inside the room.
Mikhail further told Fox 11:
“I was kind of scared. I’m stuck in this hallway. He could’ve flicked me and thrown me like 30 feet because the guy he punched kinda flew a couple feet back.”
According to the incident report, during this episode, Virgil allegedly attacked two crew members, kicking one in the face and punching another. The ship's security reportedly subdued him with bear spray and physical restraints, including zip ties and handcuffs. Witness accounts indicate he was injected with a sedative during the restraint process, though some details of that are cloudy.
Royal Caribbean cruise incident
Virgil was reported to have been declared dead about an hour after being restrained by security personnel. The reason for his death has not been determined, as an autopsy is still to be conducted. As his family said to Fox 11, claiming they had no idea such a thing could take place on the cruise, adding that “he didn’t deserve to die over it.” Virgil who was on the cruise with his fiancé and son, a seven-year-old boy who has autism, saw what happened.
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The FBI is controlling the investigation since the event occurred in international territory. Authorities are looking at several forms of evidence, including video from passengers on the ship and surveillance cameras aboard the vessel.
Subsequent to the occurrence of the incident the Royal Caribbean cruise liner went ahead and proceeded to sail for Ensenada, Mexico. Cruise Radio reported that the cruise liner has remained operational and has not altered its calendar even after the incident. The three-night cruise usually provides a stopover at Ensenada and Catalina Island before turning back to Los Angeles.
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