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A college grad had both legs torn to shreds by a boat propeller when she was encouraged to jump in the water to pee after being plied with booze and drugs in the Bahamas, according to a lawsuit.
Hannah Smith, 22, claims the bloody ordeal unfolded only because bar staff plied her with copious amounts of spiked rum punch and weed on a Catamaran Ferry day trip to Pearl Island Beach while she was on a Carnival Cruise in May last year.
Drunk and busting to use the restroom towards the end of the alcohol-heavy excursion, Smith said she finally opted to relieve herself in the water — but only after staff urged her to do so and the engine had been shut off, the lawsuit says.
Smith, who was on the Carnival Cruise with a friend for their graduation trip, alleges she spent roughly 20 seconds in the water clutching on to a railing as she urinated before attempting to climb back onto the vessel.
“[She] suddenly felt her lower extremities being sucked under the vessel,” according to the complaint, which was first reported on by the Daily Mail.
“The vessel’s captain had started and/or engaged the nearest idling engine in gear causing its propeller to turn in reverse.”
Smith said she miraculously managed to kick herself free before begging her friend for help.
“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 suit states.
“The injuries caused [her] to lose over 60% of all her blood – by itself life-threatening.”
Smith was rushed to a hospital in Nassau and was later transferred to Miami in a critical condition.
Despite dozens of surgeries and blood transfusions, doctors were unable to save her legs, according to the complaint.
Her left leg was fully removed immediately and her right left had to be amputated below the knee in the aftermath, the filing states.
Smith, who had just graduated from Alabama’s Miles College, blames the excursion staff for the life-changing saga — alleging it wouldn’t have occurred if she wasn’t drunk and high.
After paying $79.99 for the tropical day trip, which was organized out by the Sun Cay tour group, Smith said staff immediately started providing complimentary drinks the moment she and her friend stepped foot on the island.
Smith claims a staffer poured one drink directly into her mouth at one point, the court documents state.
Later, another barman allegedly urged the friends to smoke marijuana.
The lawsuit alleges Smith was given enough cocktails until her her blood alcohol level reached an estimated 0.447.
Smith is suing the tour group, Pearl Investment Management Group, and boat operator, Sun Cay, for negligence.
Carnival Cruise is also included in the lawsuit because Smith claims the liner marketed the day trip as a vetted, safe outing for passengers.
The Post reached out to Carnival Cruise about the ongoing litigation but didn’t hear back immediately.
English (US)