A cruiseship passenger who allegedly flew into a drunkenfit of rage and assaulted crew members died after his family claim security injected him with a sedative.

Royal Caribbean passenger Michael Virgil, 35, died onboard the Ensenada-bound cruise on Friday after he was detained for reportedly assaulting crew members and threatening fellow travelers whilst drunk. His familybelieve security injected him with some kind of sedative, FOX 11 reports.

Less than an hour after the Navigator of the Seas ship set sail from San Pedro, Virgil allegedly threatened to killothers and assaulted two staff members in the violent outburst, kicking one in the face and punching another.

Michael Virgil, 35, died onboard after he was detained by cruise ship staff (

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Christifer Mikhail, a traveller on the ship at the time, told the Los Angeles news station: “The gentleman that was drunk said that he was going to kill us. He started chasing us down the hallway.”

Mikhail said he was running with the crew member who leapt into a towel closet and locked himself inside in a bid to escape. Virgil then repeatedly tried to kick the door open with steel-toed boots while spewing profanity. Mikhail alleged that the unruly passenger also went on a racial tirade, FOX 11 reports.

“I was kind of scared,” Mikhail said. “I’m stuck in this hallway. He could of flicked me and thrown me like 30 feet because the guy he punched kinda flew a couple feet back.”

The cause of his Virgil's death is yet to be determined by an autopsy (

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Several security team members were eventually able to detain Virgil using zip ties, handcuffs and either bear or pepper spray, according to the bystander. He died within an hour, the station reported, after his family claim he was injected with a sedative.

Virgil’s heartbroken family said the outburst was uncharacteristic of the dad, who was onboard the ship with his 7-year-old autistic son and his fiancé. “He didn’t deserve to die over it,” a relative told the station.

The cause of his Virgil's death is yet to be determined by an autopsy while the FBI is continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to his death. Royal Caribbean said in a statement to FOX 11: “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.”