A former participant in the Greek version of the popular reality show “Survivor” is taking legal action against the program’s creators following a tragic boating incident that resulted in the loss of his leg. Stavros Floros has filed a $100 million lawsuit in a Florida court over the incident.
Floros, who is now 22 years old, was taking part in Season 13 of Survivor Greece when the accident occurred while he was spearfishing with another contestant off the coast of the Dominican Republic on May 11. Court records obtained by CBC News reveal that a tourist boat collided with Floros, causing the amputation of his left leg above the knee and severe injuries to his right leg.
Following the accident, Floros was promptly brought ashore and then transferred to a local medical facility before being airlifted to a hospital in Miami, where he underwent multiple surgeries and spent 61 days recovering. Graphic images of Floros post-accident were published by TMZ, illustrating the extent of his injuries.
Skai TV, the broadcaster of Survivor Greece, announced the immediate suspension of the show after the incident, despite production being the responsibility of Turkish company AcunMedya. They expressed support for Floros and pledged to assist in his treatment and recovery. However, Floros claims that he did not receive the expected support from the production team.
In a statement to TheWrap, Floros expressed his disappointment, stating, “I participated in a reality show and now, at 22, I am left with just one leg, feeling like I was slowly fading away. I want people to understand that we were not properly cared for, and I did not receive the necessary support from the production company.”
The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, names AcunMedya, AcunMedya Global, Acun LLC, Turkish businessman Acun Ilicali, and the parent company of Skai TV as defendants.
Court documents include testimony from Floros and other contestants detailing the sequence of events. The lawsuit alleges that the production team failed to implement safety measures despite being aware of heavy boat traffic in the area. While May 11 was not a competition day, contestants were still expected to engage in survival tasks.
Floros and another contestant were fishing when the accident occurred, with witnesses stating that the boat struck Floros while he was near the shoreline. The lawsuit claims that there were significant delays in providing aid to Floros after the collision.
Floros’s legal team, represented by Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, filed the lawsuit in Florida, citing AcunMedya and Ilicali’s connections to the state. Floros mentioned being influenced to participate in Survivor Greece due to its ties to Florida and the promise of a luxurious trip to Miami for the winner.
AcunMedya, in addition to Survivor Greece, produces multiple international versions of the franchise. Despite attempts to reach AcunMedya for comment, no response was received at the time of publication.
Floros’s lawsuit sheds light on the challenges faced by reality show participants and the responsibilities of production companies in ensuring contestant safety.