A former participant from the Greek version of the popular reality TV show Survivor is taking legal action against the show’s creators following a tragic boating incident that resulted in the loss of his leg.
Stavros Floros has filed a lawsuit in a Florida court seeking $100 million US in compensation.
The incident occurred while Floros, now 22, was competing in Season 13 of Survivor Greece. He was engaged in spearfishing with another contestant off the coast of the Dominican Republic on May 11.
As per court records acquired by CBC News, Floros was accidentally hit by a tourist boat, leading to the amputation of his left leg above the knee and severe injuries to his right leg.
After the mishap, Floros was brought ashore, initially treated at a local medical facility, and later transferred to a hospital in Miami. He underwent numerous surgeries and spent 61 days recuperating.
TMZ released distressing images showing Floros’ condition post-accident.
While Skai TV, the broadcaster of Survivor Greece, stated that they promptly halted the show and extended support to Floros for his treatment and rehabilitation, Floros claims otherwise.
“I participated in a reality show only to end up losing a leg at 22, feeling like I was slowly fading away,” Floros expressed in a statement to TheWrap after filing the lawsuit.
The legal action, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, names AcunMedya, AcunMedya Global, Acun LLC, Turkish entrepreneur Acun Ilicali, and Skai TV’s parent company as defendants.
Contestant’s life altered due to a ‘game’
The legal documents contain testimonies from Floros and fellow contestants detailing the sequence of events.
Floros mentioned that the show’s setup required participants to fish for sustenance while competing in the open sea.
The lawsuit asserts that the production team failed to establish safety measures or deploy safety vessels despite being aware of heavy boat traffic in the area.