EXCLUSIVE DETAILS: 'Survivor' Contestant Who Lost Leg in Freak Spearfishing Accident Left 'Catastrophically Disabled and Disfigured,' Attorney Claims
'Survivor' contestant Stavros Floros was left 'disabled and disfigured' during production of the show.
Sept. 10 2026, Updated 3:41 p.m. ET
A Survivor contestant who is suing the show after he lost his leg in a freak spearfishing accident has been left "catastrophically disabled and disfigured," his lawyer exclusively told RadarOnline.com.
Stavros Floros has filed a $100million lawsuit against the reality show's producers, claiming their negligence for safety led to his life-altering injury.
Stavros Floros Was Stuck by a Passing Boat
Floros lost his leg after a tourist boat ran into him while spearfishing.
Floros was competing on the 13th season of the Greek version of the CBS series on Saona Island in the Dominican Republic earlier this year when the 21-year-old went spearfishing during a break from filming.
That's when the propellers of a passing tourist boat accidentally tore into him, partially amputating his left leg below the knee and causing significant trauma to his right ankle.
Floros has now filed a massive lawsuit against the producers, accusing them of ignoring dangers in the waters and failing to protect the show's competitors.
'Catastrophic Permanent Injuries'
He blames producers for creating an unsafe environment.
According to Floros lawsuit, which Radar has reviewed, "(The producers) built the show's entire format around requiring contestants to spearfish in open water — waters heavily trafficked by tourist boats near Bayahibe, Dominican Republic — without safety boats, spotters, protected zones or adequate warning markers."
His lawyer, Jason Margulies of Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., placed the blame solely on the foreign production company.
"This is an egregious matter where a young and successful influencer has been left with catastrophic permanent injuries as a result of the callous disregard for safety by a large multinational production company entrusted to produce the show, Survivor," Margulies told Radar.
"We see heartbreaking events like this more and more often. When huge companies take shortcuts and cut corners to maximize profits, it often comes at the cost of public safety, which is absolutely unacceptable."
Contestants Were Allegedly Given 'Cocaine and Marijuana' by Producers
Floros also claims producers tried to ply the other contestants with drugs to 'calm them'.
After his injury, Floros accused producers of trying to continue filming while providing contestants with various illicit drugs like "cocaine and marijuana" to help "calm and settle the cast."
Producers also allegedly tried to pressure another contestant to sign a document falsely claiming the competition ended before Floros was injured, but he refused, according to Floros.
Production of the show was ultimately shut down after Floros' injury, which he says required multiple surgeries and a two-month hospital stay.
Producers awarded him the season's $291,000 grand prize.
Producers Push Back
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He is asking for more than $100million in damages.
Floros is demanding more than $100million in damages from Turkish media company Acun Medya, as well as its subsidiaries, for negligence, civil conspiracy and violations of maritime law.
But the production company has tried to push the blame back on Floros, telling the Toronto Sun that he was spearfishing without a surface marker buoy, which might have alerted the boat's operator to his presence.
The company further defended its response to his injuries, saying at the time, "From the very first moment, there was an immediate response to provide assistance and safely transport the injured contestant, while the competent port authorities are investigating the causes of the incident in order to fully determine the circumstances."
