Virginia Resident Sues Yacht Owner Mega Mia LLC After Vessel Sinks and Cancels Holiday Charter
Elizabeth Borches, a resident of Virginia, has filed a maritime breach of contract lawsuit against Mega Mia LLC in the Southern District of Florida. The federal lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-24498-RAR, alleges that the luxury yacht charter company failed to return over one hundred thousand dollars in deposits and contractually mandated fees after the vessel sank in the Bahamas just days before a scheduled holiday voyage.
Luxury Yacht Charter Agreement Breached After Vessel Runs Aground and Sinks in the Bahamas
According to the complaint, Borches entered into a formal yacht charter agreement with Mega Mia LLC on December 3, 2025. Under the terms of the maritime contract, the vessel owner agreed to furnish its 120-foot Technomar luxury yacht, the M/V Double Shot, for a winter holiday voyage charter spanning from December 28, 2025, through January 4, 2026. The cruise was designed to offer a private, premium ocean travel experience through tropical waters over the New Year holiday. However, the travel plans were completely upended when the vessel reportedly struck a rocky shoal and sank near the Bahamas on December 23, 2025. The lawsuit attributes the total loss of the yacht to a severe navigational error made by the ship captain, who allegedly missed a marked channel and guided the vessel directly into shallow, hazardous waters.
Yacht Owner Accused of Retaining Charter Fees and Refusing Contractual Liquidated Damages After Shipwreck
The lawsuit outlines the specific financial arrangements demanded by Mega Mia LLC prior to the scheduled departure. The vessel owner required the entirety of the charter fee to be paid within two days of signing the contract. Court documents show that Borches fully complied with the strict payment timeline, transferring a base charter fee of ninety-nine thousand five hundred dollars along with an additional advance provisioning allowance of thirty-four thousand eight hundred twenty-five dollars. Despite receiving a total upfront payment of one hundred thirty-four thousand three hundred twenty-five dollars, Mega Mia LLC allegedly kept the entire sum after the shipwreck rendered performance impossible. The complaint states that the charter line has failed to issue a refund or communicate a repayment timeline, effectively forcing the plaintiff to seek legal intervention to recover her funds.
Complaint Cites Clear Delivery Failure Terms and Legal Remedies for Canceled Yacht Charters
In addition to seeking the return of the initial deposits, the federal maritime complaint highlights the specific penalty clauses built into the yacht charter agreement. The contract explicitly contains a delivery clause governing situations where the owner fails to deliver the vessel at the designated place of delivery for reasons other than force majeure. Under these agreed-upon terms, a non-delivery allows the charterer to treat the agreement as completely repudiated by the owner. The contract dictates that the sole remedy available to the passenger under such circumstances is the immediate repayment of all upfront amounts paid, plus an additional liquidated damages fee equivalent to fifty percent of the base charter fee. The legal team representing the plaintiff asserts that because the captain caused the grounding through navigational error, the clause applies directly to this incident.
Plaintiff Seeks Substantial Financial Damages and Return of Funds Following Canceled Luxury Cruise Vacation
Borches brings a formal count of breach of contract against Mega Mia LLC for failing to honor the consumer protection mechanisms detailed in the private charter agreement. The plaintiff asserts that she made a formal demand for the immediate return of her original funding along with forty-nine thousand seven hundred fifty dollars in liquidated damages, as structured by the contract terms. Because the defendant refused to return any portion of the funds, the lawsuit states that the total damages calculation has reached one hundred eighty-four thousand seventy-five dollars, excluding interest and court fees. The plaintiff is seeking a final judgment for the full amount of these financial damages, plus applicable pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, to compensate for the lost value of the vacation and the unlawful retention of her capital.
Contact a Cruise Ship and Luxury Yacht Injury Lawyer Today if Your Maritime Travel Contract Was Breached
Passengers who suffer major financial losses or physical injuries due to the negligence of private charter operations, yacht owners, or commercial cruise lines have clear rights under federal maritime law. Vessel owners have a strict legal obligation to fulfill their contractual duties, provide seaworthy vessels, and employ competent crew members to ensure safe transit. If you or someone you care about has suffered financial harm, a major breach of contract, or an injury during a private vessel charter or cruise vacation, contact our team of experienced maritime law attorneys today. We are here to review the details of your contract, protect your consumer rights, and help you explore your options for full financial recovery.
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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.
