![\"Bernardo](\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/elbaz.jpg?resize=740%2C430\")
The attorney for the family of a gay<\/a> New York City man<\/a> who was swept to sea after falling from the balcony of a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship off the Turks and Caicos late Friday night says the man<\/a> fell after an anti-gay<\/a> altercation with the ship’s crew, and his disturbing fall to the lifeboat was not the result of a domestic argument and suicide.<\/p>\nThe man<\/a> lost at sea has been identified as Bernardo Elbaz, who was vacationing with his husband of one year, Eric, WPLG Miami reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Sun Sentinel<\/em> reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n In a statement issued Friday, Royal Caribbean said that crew members spotted Elbaz “intentionally going over the side of the ship.”<\/p>\n In an updated statement cruise line officials later added, “Our onboard security team responded to the guest’s stateroom after a neighboring guest complained about a domestic dispute on the guest’s balcony. “Our staff did not have a physical altercation with the guest and were unable to prevent his jumping from the stateroom balcony.”<\/p>\n Attorney Michael Winkleman says that while Elbaz was intoxicated, the fall was not the result of a domestic argument, and wasn’t a suicide as the cruise ship has claimed.<\/p>\n Said Winkleman in a press conference today:<\/p>\n “Royal Caribbean is saying this was a domestic dispute and a suicide. It was anything but that. There was a big altercation at the Solarium Bar. As a result of that, Bernardo went back to his room and was furious…Royal Caribbean security comes on the scene and as a result of an altercation in his cabin, ends up somehow falling off the balcony onto the lifeboat area…I could see how from a media perspective Royal Caribbean would rather be in this scenario where somebody jumped overboard than something directly implicating their security staff. There clearly appears to be a negligent rescue that was undertaken. In my eyes, more importantly than that is the anti-gay<\/a> remarks that were made against these two gentlemen.”<\/p>\n Watch the WPLG report:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In a (warning: disturbing<\/strong>) video<\/a> of the Royal Caribbean incident posted to YouTube, a distressed man<\/a> is heard accusing another of being a “murderer” and saying, “because of you this happened,” and pleading with Albaz to “hold on” until he releases his grip and plunges into the ocean.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for Elbaz.<\/p>\n The post Man Who Fell From Cruise Ship Did So After Anti-Gay Taunts from Crew, Lawyer Says<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Bernardo](\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/2_elbaz.jpg?resize=740%2C453\")
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