A 22-year-old college graduate has filed a lawsuit after losing both legs in a boating accident during a cruise excursion in the Bahamas, alleging that excursi...
A 22-year-old college graduate has filed a lawsuit after losing both legs in a boating accident during a cruise excursion in the Bahamas, alleging that excursion staff encouraged excessive drinking and drug use before the incident occurred.
According to the lawsuit, Hannah Smith suffered severe injuries during a Catamaran Ferry trip to Pearl Island Beach in May last year while on a Carnival Cruise Line graduation trip with a friend.
Advertisement
Smith alleges the excursion was organised by the Sun Cay tour group and included continuous alcohol service throughout the day. Court documents claim staff provided complimentary rum punch soon after passengers arrived on the island.
The lawsuit further alleges that Smith was served large amounts of alcohol and was also exposed to marijuana during the excursion. According to the complaint, one staff member allegedly poured a drink directly into her mouth at one stage during the trip.
Towards the end of the excursion, Smith reportedly needed to use a restroom but eventually entered the water after staff allegedly encouraged her to relieve herself there and assured passengers that the boat’s engine had been switched off.
According to the complaint, Smith remained in the water for about 20 seconds while holding onto a railing beside the vessel before attempting to climb back aboard.
The lawsuit states that during that moment, the vessel’s captain allegedly started or engaged an engine, causing the propeller to reverse while Smith was still in the water.
“[She] suddenly felt her lower extremities being sucked under the vessel,” the complaint states.
Smith reportedly managed to free herself before calling for help from her friend. According to the lawsuit, her injuries were severe when she was pulled from the water.
“When [she] was pulled out of the water, her left leg below her knee was almost completely severed from her body except for a sliver of skin, and she had suffered multiple gashes throughout both legs and pelvis area,” the filing states.
The lawsuit also states that Smith lost more than 60 percent of her blood following the accident and was initially rushed to a hospital in Nassau before later being transferred to Miami in critical condition.
Despite undergoing multiple surgeries and blood transfusions, doctors were reportedly unable to save either of her legs. According to the complaint, her left leg was completely removed immediately after the accident, while her right leg was later amputated below the knee.
Smith, who had recently graduated from Miles College, is holding the excursion operators responsible for the incident, arguing that the accident would not have occurred without the alleged excessive alcohol and drug use during the trip.
The lawsuit has drawn attention to safety procedures during cruise excursions, particularly involving alcohol consumption, water activities and supervision aboard recreational vessels in tourist destinations.
Neither the cruise operator nor the excursion company had publicly responded to the allegations contained in the lawsuit at the time the matter gained international media attention.
