Laura Rucker is pursuing legal action against Royal Caribbean following her husband, Edmund Rucker’s passing when he leaped off a pier in Roatan Island, Honduras, while on a cruise break last year.
Rucker, who was 52 years old, tragically lost his life while the Allure of the Seas was docked at the Honduran island.
The father was on a spring break trip with his family. After Rucker jumped off the pier, medical personnel took almost an hour to arrive on the scene.
Laura Rucker, Rucker’s spouse, alleges that the cruise line acted irresponsibly by advertising excursions in Roatan despite the ongoing work stoppages and strikes in Honduras. According to her, Royal Caribbean knew about the health and public safety strikes in Honduras but was still docked at Roatan because of the money-generating opportunities at this port of call.
According to the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Thursday, Rucker and his family looked into Royal Caribbean excursions in Roatan before their cruise. They decided to purchase tickets for an activity called Zip Line Adventure & Beach Escape in Roatan, Honduras, but they were unavailable when they attempted to buy them.
The complaint stated that the family was not informed about the ownership of ShoreExcursioneer and the excursion by South Shore Adventures in Cozumel, Mexico, and Foster’s West Bay Resort in Roatan, both defendants with Royal Caribbean.
Jeremy Lewis jumped in the water to retrieve Rucker. Individuals performed CPR for nearly an hour but could not keep him alive until emergency medical care arrived. The family was shocked and disbelieving as they watched his passing. They felt intense emotional distress as they covered his dead body with towels on the beach for hours due to the delayed response from the coroner’s office.
Laura Rucker is seeking compensation for what she claims are the defendants’ actions connected to the excursions.
She and her children are still dealing with intense emotional challenges, including depression and post-traumatic stress.