Maryland Woman Sues Carnival Cruise Line After Tender Boat Crash Involving Carnival Magic Near Belize
Jennifer Landon, a resident of Maryland, has filed a maritime personal injury lawsuit against Carnival Corporation, Sea Charters Tender Ltd., and an additional unnamed operator in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-24150-FAM, alleges that Landon suffered serious and permanent injuries after a tender boat crashed into the side of the cruise ship Carnival Magic on July 10, 2025.
Cruise Passenger Injured in Tender Boat Crash Involving Carnival Magic Due to High Speeds and Rough Seas
According to the complaint, the incident occurred while Landon was being transported back to the Carnival Magic from a scheduled port of call off the island of Belize. The cruise line required passengers to utilize smaller tender vessels to navigate between the anchored cruise ship and the port. On the return trip, the tender boat encountered inclement weather conditions, including high winds, strong currents, and rough seas. Despite these hazardous conditions, the captain of the tender vessel allegedly operated the watercraft at an excessive and unsafe speed. As the tender approached the stationary cruise ship, it violently slammed into the side of the Carnival Magic, causing a severe impact that jarred Landon’s body and resulted in personal injuries.
Carnival Accused of Failing to Supervise Tender Operations and Warn Passengers of Impending Collision
The lawsuit alleges that Carnival had actual and constructive knowledge of the inherent dangers associated with tender ship transfers. The plaintiff notes that a Carnival security officer was stationed aboard the tender boat during the transit and directly observed the rough weather conditions and high operating speeds. Furthermore, the legal complaint points to a history of similar tender vessel accidents across the fleet, referencing a 2024 collision in Greenland involving the lawsuit Perez v. Carnival Corporation, as well as multiple prior passenger injury incidents in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, involving passengers Alexandria Migneault, Daryel Hernandez, and Jerome Williams. Landon contends that Carnival was fully aware of these operational risks, as evidenced by its internal tender safety policy MAR-1481 and the mandatory safety video broadcast to passengers on every voyage. Despite this awareness, the crew members allegedly failed to maintain a proper lookout, failed to deploy adequate personnel to assist with docking, and failed to issue any verbal warning or instruction to passengers to brace for the impending impact.
Complaint Alleges Mechanical Issues, Inadequate Operator Training, and Negligent Tender Management
In addition to the failure to warn passengers, the complaint alleges significant operational and maintenance failures regarding the ferry transit. Following the crash, the tender boat reportedly lost power, and the captain openly noted an issue with the watercraft’s engine. The lawsuit claims that the defendants failed to properly inspect and maintain the vessel’s propulsion systems and failed to ensure that the tender was operated at a safe angle of approach. The filing also asserts that Carnival exercised extensive, master-servant control over the independent contractor Sea Charters Tender Ltd., also referred to as Sun Charters in court documents, by dictating payment rates, restricting them to exclusive Carnival operations, setting routing schedules, and requiring the use of proprietary company software, which makes the cruise line vicariously liable for the actions of the boat captain and crew.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages for Permanent Bodily Injuries, Medical Costs, and Ruined Vacation Value
Landon brings multiple counts of negligence against the defendants, including general negligence, negligent failure to warn, negligent failure to maintain, and vicarious liability. The complaint asserts that the defendants breached their non-delegable maritime duty to provide cruise passengers with a safe means of ingress and egress from the vessel. As a direct result of the collision, Landon claims she sustained severe physical injuries to her body and extremities, mental anguish, physical handicap, loss of enjoyment of life, and a permanent impairment of her future working ability and wages. She is seeking full compensation for all past and future medical expenses, as well as reimbursement for the lost value of her cruise vacation, booking costs, and related travel expenses.
Contact a Cruise Ship Tender Accident Lawyer Today if You Were Injured During a Vessel Transfer
Cruise passengers who suffer injuries during shore excursions, ferry transfers, or tender boat operations due to high speeds, poor seamanship, or lack of crew assistance may be entitled to financial compensation under general maritime law. Commercial cruise operators have a strict obligation to ensure that all transport methods used for passenger ingress and egress are managed safely and prudently. If you or a loved one experienced a similar cruise ship slip and fall or watercraft collision during a vacation, contact our team of experienced maritime injury lawyers today. We will guide you through the process of filing a claim and help protect your legal rights.
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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
