Shattered boxing star Chris Eubank today tells of his family’s “fight for justice” as they seek the truth around the death of his son.
A court writ alleges wrongful death by negligence by Caesars Entertainment, Nevada the management company of the Caesars Palace resort in Dubai, where Sebastian Eubank drowned two years ago in shallow water covered by CCTV, aged just 29.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and slumped fatally into the water.
Legal papers – which independent experts say could lead to a payout in the tens of millions – claim lifeguards found his ID and belongings on the beach, which is covered by CCTV.
But it is alleged staff went home without searching for him and he was only found the following morning. Lawyers claim he may have survived if given swift attention.
The writ alleges: “The lifeguards were not paying attention and/or were fatigued and/or had been insufficiently trained to protect guests.”
Tearful Eubank, 56, told us yesterday: “This is our chance for truth and justice. We will fight until we have that for Sebastian’s memory.
“All we’ve wanted since Sebastian died is to understand why it happened, and we are getting close.”
Ex-world middleweight champ Eubank choked with emotion as he spoke of his “amazing” son and told how he backs litigation brought by Sebastian’s widow Salma Abdelati.
Papers were filed on Friday afternoon by lawyers at a court in Nevada, Las Vegas – home to the resort’s management company Caesars Entertainment.
This paper approached Chris after discovering the court documents and the Celebrity Big Brother star said: “The case is a chance for us to fight on Sebastian’s behalf for the truth to come out.
“And if a court finds his death could have been avoided, it’s a chance for someone to take responsibility and for us to get justice. The case is constantly on my mind. We can’t bring Sebastian back, but we can do this for him. I’m sure Caesars will do what is right.”
Eubank, a WBO middleweight and super-middleweight champ in the 1990s, is tormented by Sebastian’s fate. He said he “cried so hard” after learning his son was left struggling to breathe.
Sebastian, who was just a week short of his 30th birthday, was also a boxer, going by the name Alka Lion while fighting in light-heavyweight bouts and mixed martial arts. He died a month after becoming a dad to son Raheem.
Sebastian had headed to Cove Beach – a poolside restaurant and bar that forms part of the £1.5billion Caesars Palace Dubai hotel complex on man-made peninsula Bluewaters Island.
Grieving dad Eubank said: “I always believed there were things we didn’t know and this is a chance for things to be heard. We’ve been working over many months to gather information. It’s about bringing truth to his story, making sure answers are there for his son when he grows up.”
According to court papers, Sebastian arrived on July 7, 2021 and went to a private beach area at about 6.30pm. At 7pm, he stood near the shore “in water less than waist deep” for a few minutes “before slumping into the water and remaining there, motionless”.
An autopsy found Sebastian drowned possibly after he suffered a cardiac event.
The legal documents state the beach was monitored by CCTV and staff, the sun had not set, the area was well lit, the water was calm and visibility was clear. And, it is alleged, it was not until around 6am the next morning “that a lifeguard noticed Sebastian’s body floating within the enclosed beach area”.
The papers claim “other lifeguards then noticed Sebastian’s body, but no effort was made to actually investigate until a half hour later”. They add this happened when one lifeguard swam out and brought Sebastian to shallow water. Lawyers claim staff waited on instructions from management for nearly three hours before notifying authorities and then “allowed Sebastian’s body to remain on the beach, decomposing in the sun, until the Dubai police moved the body to the morgue later that afternoon”.
They accuse the resort of at least 11 mistakes, including “forcing staff to work 12 to 13-hour days in the heat without meaningful breaks or rest”, not warning guests of “hazards and potential risks on the property” and failing “to monitor and protect guests, including Sebastian, who were in the water and on the beach”.
They conclude: “Had appropriate and reasonable care been exercised, Sebastian would not have drowned and died at Caesars Dubai...
“As a direct and proximate result of Caesars’ negligence, Salma has lost and is deprived of the love, companionship, society, affection, emotional support and care, intimate relations and ability to bear children, and solace of her husband.”
Eubank repeatedly fought back tears as spoke about his son’s legacy. And he smiled as he told how he spent time with Salma and grandson Raheem on a family trip to Dublin this month. Eubank said: “We walked and went on excursions in parks and spent real quality time with them.
“Those things are important... you don’t know how important until you don’t have them any more.”
Sebastian is survived by brothers Nathaniel, Joseph and Chris Jnr – also a boxer – sister Emily and his mum Karron Meadows.
As he told of his heartache Eubank proudly wore a sheriff badge – given by cops in Louisiana, US, where he has given talks deterring kids from crime.
He went on: “Sebastian had something money can’t buy. He would have been successful in anything he did. He was a champion and his earning potential was limitless. His legacy revolves around helping and supporting the disenfranchised and the poor. He was constantly helping those who didn’t have a voice.
“I’m incredibly proud because the depth of which he did the things he did was extraordinary. Everything I wanted Sebastian to be as a man, he was. He was a humanitarian and the work he was doing was amazing.”
The family’s attorney Christian M. Morris said: “How a death could occur on a private beach must be answered. More than 90% of people survive cardiac events with proper, timely care. Now, more than ever, Sebastian needed the help of the lifeguards paid to watch out for patrons. Instead, employees failed to act, resulting in Sebastian drowning without anyone noticing.”
Ms Morris claims four lifeguards were paid to “comb the water and make sure there are no swimmers before they close the beach”. She claimed “instead of that crucial duty... employees simply picked up Sebastian’s items, logged them in lost and found and went home”.
She added: “The loss of life was senseless and preventable. An inquiry into Caesars’ complete inaction is necessary to get justice for his family and ensure no other family suffers a similar loss.”
Caesars Entertainment was contacted for comment.
