A 22-year-old college graduate says a dream cruise celebration turned into a life-changing nightmare after both of her legs were shredded by a boat propeller during a booze-filled excursion in the Bahamas.
Hannah Smith had just graduated from Miles College in Alabama when she and a friend took a Carnival Cruise in May of last year. As part of the trip, they paid $79.99 for a Catamaran Ferry day trip to Pearl Island Beach, an excursion Smith says was marketed as safe and vetted for passengers.
Instead, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Florida, the outing ended with Smith fighting for her life after she was allegedly encouraged to jump into the water to urinate.
Smith claims the terrifying ordeal happened only after excursion staff plied her with large amounts of alcohol and marijuana throughout the day.
According to the lawsuit, Smith and her friend were given complimentary drinks almost immediately after arriving on the island. At one point, a staff member allegedly poured a drink directly into Smith’s mouth. Later, another bartender allegedly urged the women to smoke marijuana.
By the end of the alcohol-heavy excursion, Smith says she was drunk, high and desperate to use the restroom.
The lawsuit claims she ultimately decided to relieve herself in the water only after staff encouraged her to do so and after the boat’s engine had been shut off.
Smith said she spent about 20 seconds in the water, holding onto a railing while urinating. But as she tried to climb back onto the vessel, everything changed.
According to the complaint, Smith “suddenly felt her lower extremities being sucked under the vessel.”
The lawsuit alleges the captain had started or engaged the nearby idling engine, causing the propeller to turn in reverse.
Smith says she was pulled under and into the propeller, which tore through her legs and pelvis.
Somehow, she managed to kick herself free.
When Smith was pulled from the water, the injuries were catastrophic. The lawsuit states that her left leg below the knee was almost completely severed, attached only by a small piece of skin. She also suffered multiple deep wounds throughout both legs and her pelvic area.
The lawsuit says Smith lost more than 60 percent of her blood, a life-threatening amount.
She was rushed to a hospital in Nassau before being transferred to Miami in critical condition.
Doctors performed dozens of surgeries and blood transfusions, but they could not save her legs.
According to the complaint, Smith’s left leg was fully amputated almost immediately. Her right leg was later amputated below the knee.
Smith now blames the excursion operators for the horrific incident, arguing that none of it would have happened if staff had not allegedly overserved her alcohol, encouraged drug use and then told her to get into the water.
The lawsuit claims Smith’s blood alcohol level reached an estimated 0.447, a dangerously high level.
Smith is suing the tour group Pearl Investment Management Group and the boat operator Sun Cay for negligence.
Carnival Cruise is also named in the lawsuit because Smith claims the cruise line marketed the excursion to passengers as a safe, approved outing.
The lawsuit says Smith was simply trying to celebrate her college graduation when the tropical getaway became a nightmare that changed the rest of her life.
Carnival Cruise was contacted for comment about the ongoing litigation but did not immediately respond, according to the report.