A California couple alleges in a lawsuit that they "faced death" when a company boat they hired for a scuba tour during their honeymoon left them stranded at sea off Lanai Island, Hawaii.
Elizabeth Webster and Alexander Burckle
demand $5 million in compensation
from the Sail Maui company for the trauma they say the company caused them in September 2021 after one of their boats left it stranded in the middle of the sea, local newspaper Hawaii News Now reported.
When the newlyweds tried to return to the boat after an hour of diving, they noticed that it was moving away.
Although they tried to swim towards him and shouted for help, they finally understood that "they had been abandoned in the water," Jared Washkowitz, the couple's lawyer, explained to the aforementioned outlet.
“It was a traumatic event in which they thought they would die
,” emphasized the lawyer.
“They came here (to Hawaii) for their honeymoon, which must have been a wonderful experience.
Instead, they faced death,” added Douglas Moore, another representative for the plaintiffs.
The indictment alleges the couple swam ashore where they were rescued by residents of the island of Lanai.
Now safe, the tourists contacted the company, which until now had not realized that the couple was not on board.
The island of Lanai in Hawaii.M Swiet Productions / Getty Images
The crew miscounted the passengers, says the lawsuit, which seeks compensation for material and emotional damages.
"It was too messy, everyone (the tourists) was moving, so it was easy to miss it in the count," Jessica Hebert, another passenger on the excursion, explained to the local media.
According to her testimony, after abandoning the couple, the crew made another stop and another count.
But neither then did they notice his absence.
Hebert didn't find out about the mistake until the next day, when he met the couple in the city of Lahaina, he said.
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The lawsuit alleges that the company
failed to explain to the couple how to get back to the boat and what to do in an emergency
, BBC News detailed, citing legal documents.
According to the defendant company's website, Sail Maui's vessels "achieve incredible speeds while ensuring the safety and comfort" of customers.
The company also ensures that its expeditions are carried out with small groups "for a more personalized experience".
Since the 2021 incident with the California couple, Sail Maui has changed its safety protocols, according to the lawsuit.
