New video footage has surfaced capturing the exact moment the Icon of the Seas slide breaks mid-ride, resulting in severe injuries for a passenger who has since filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean.
The Instagram clip captures a rider traveling down the Frightening Bolt when a section of the acrylic tube shatters mid-ride. The waterslide is part of Category 6 and is advertised as the tallest waterslide at sea by Royal Caribbean.
Shards of broken material from the slide can be seen flying outward, followed by a torrent of water gushing from the damaged area. The video, linked below, was shared by @unrealcruises on Instagram.
The incident occurred while Icon of the Seas was sailing in the Caribbean last week during the August 7, 2025 itinerary. The ship was at sea between St. Thomas and Perfect Day at CocoCay when the Icon of the Seas slide broke.
Reports state that an adult man was on the waterslide when it broke, although he did not fall through the hole. The passenger was badly cut from the incident and required medical attention. In the video, the glass appears to crack near the passenger’s feet before two panels fly outward.
According to a Reddit post from someone claiming to be a close family member of a crew member onboard, the injured passenger’s “heels of his feet were torn almost completely off” along with “other serious gashes.”
The Reddit poster also shared that the passenger’s injuries were too complex to fully treat onboard, prompting the ship’s medical team to stabilize the guest before transferring him to emergency services ashore. The source described the wounds as “painful, potentially life-altering injuries.”
These statements have not been confirmed by the cruise line. However, in a statement made by a spokesperson for the cruise line regarding the incident, Royal Caribbean stated:
“Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide. The guest is being treated for his injuries. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation.”
Some claim the slide was leaking prior to the incident
Some passengers on Reddit have claimed that Icon of the Seas’ waterslide had been leaking water in the days prior to the break, with crew placing a caution sign near where water was pooling. However, others with experience in water park operations have stated that minor water leaks at slide joints are common and not typically a sign of structural failure.
One commenter, who said they had worked at several water parks, noted that “the seams that rip your back up in the slide, when it isn’t damaged, aren’t sealed completely… having it drip wouldn’t have been a concern at all.”
Still, another Redditor argued that if there were signs of ongoing water leakage, “they should have shut that down until they knew what was going on.”
Lawsuit filed against Royal Caribbean
The injured passenger has since filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean, alleging negligence in maintaining the slide and ensuring passenger safety. Details of the lawsuit claim that the company should have addressed any possible warning signs and prevented guests from using the ride until it was fully inspected and deemed safe.
In response to the incident, Frightening Bolt has remained closed on Icon of the Seas and the gash is still visible on the non-operating slide. Those who boarded sister-ship, Star of the Seas, this week have noted the same slide is closed on the brand-new Icon Class ship.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is currently the world’s largest cruise ship and debuted in January 2024. The massive vessel features multiple waterslides as part of its sprawling Thrill Island water park. This is the first reported major injury from one of the ship’s attractions since launch.
