‘Survivor Greece’ Contestant Who Lost Leg Sues Producers for Over $100 Million
Survivor Greece contestant Stavros Floros is suing the companies behind the reality show after a boat accident in the Dominican Republic left him with permanent injuries. The 22-year-old filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County on Sept. 3, seeking more than $100 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Floros was competing on Season 13 of Survivor Greece when he and fellow contestant Emmanouil Malliaros went spearfishing for food on May 11. A tourist boat struck Floros in the water, severing his left leg above the knee and seriously injuring his right leg.
According to the 61-page complaint, Floros was first taken to a local medical facility before being transferred to Miami for treatment. He underwent multiple surgeries and spent 61 days in the hospital.
The lawsuit names Acun Medya, Acun Medya Global, Acun LLC, Acun Ilıcalı and Skai TV among the defendants. The Greek series shares a name with the U.S. Survivor, but it is not affiliated with the CBS version.
What Floros Says Went Wrong
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Floros claims contestants were expected to spearfish in open water near Bayahibe, an area that has heavy tourist and commercial boat traffic. He alleges there were no safety boats, spotters, protected fishing zones or adequate warning markers to keep passing vessels away.
The complaint also says contestants’ phones had been taken away, leaving them unable to call for help during an emergency. Floros argues that this put more responsibility on the production to supervise and protect contestants while they were in the water.
The lawsuit makes additional claims about what happened after Floros was injured. It alleges production continued filming, provided cocaine and marijuana to remaining cast members to calm them, and tried to get another contestant to sign a document saying the competition had ended before Floros was hurt.
Acun Medya Responded
After the May accident, Acun Medya said Floros had been spearfishing outside the competitive portion of the show, and that assistance was provided immediately. The company said local port authorities were investigating.
After reports of the lawsuit surfaced, Acun Medya issued another statement saying it had not received notice of the suit or reviewed its contents. The company rejected the accusations appearing in media reports, calling them baseless and defamatory.
Floros told the Miami Herald that his life has completely changed since the accident. “My mind is like, ‘All of this happened for a game?'”
