LOS ANGELES, CA — The FBI is investigating the tragic death of a man aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship just hours after it set sail from the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, December 13.
Michael Virgil, 35, was traveling with his fiancé and his 7-year-old autistic son when the incident occurred. According to witnesses and authorities, things took a chaotic turn when Virgil reportedly went on a drunken rampage, chasing other passengers, assaulting a crew member, and attempting to kick down a cabin door.
Cell phone video captured by a fellow passenger shows Virgil in a hallway, leaning against a door and repeatedly kicking it. Crew members are seen trying to calm him down. One of the witnesses, a passenger named Christifer Mikhail, shared his frightening experience, recounting how Virgil chased him down the hallway shortly after the ship hit open waters en route to Ensenada, Mexico.
“The man said he was going to kill us,” Mikhail told the media. “He started running after us down the hallway. I was scared and felt trapped.”
Witnesses said Virgil became violent, attacking crew members, kicking one of them in the head, and aggressively trying to break into a cabin where another crew member had taken cover. Security officers on the ship acted quickly, restraining him with zip ties and using pepper spray to subdue him. Tragically, shortly after being restrained, Virgil died aboard the Navigator of the Seas.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the exact cause of death, listing it as pending further tests. However, Virgil’s family has expressed concerns, claiming that they believe ship security might have injected him with a sedative. They told the media that he died within an hour of being restrained.
Royal Caribbean released a statement expressing their condolences, saying, “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.”
This shocking incident has left many questions unanswered, and the FBI continues to investigate what happened on that fateful cruise. Virgil leaves behind his fiancé and young son, who were also aboard the ship during the incident.
