A wrongful death and product liability lawsuit has been filed against Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc., BRP US, Inc., and Richardson’s Boat Yard following the capsizing of a 2024 Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boat that killed three passengers and injured two others.
The lawsuit has been filed filed on behalf of the families of Farhana Nasir, 53; Noor Nasir, 22; and Kiran Akbar, 23, by attorneys with Berman & Simmons.
The incident took place on August 30 2025 on Flagstaff Lake in Maine, US.
The filing states that the group spent Labor Day weekend at a home on Flagstaff Lake, Maine when six guests took a recently purchased 2024 Sea-Doo Switch for a ride in calm and clear conditions.
While travelling at around 6 miles an hour, the front port side of the boat began to nosedive, and water came onto the deck. Moments later, the boat capsized in about 9 feet of water.
Physical injuries
Farhana, Noor and Kiran were trapped underneath the overturned vessel, with Farhana and Kiran pronounced dead at the scene. Noor was taken by helicopter where she later died.
Khizer Nasir and Hassan Akbar survived the capsize but witnessed the deaths of their family members and suffered physical injuries and severe emotional distress, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint alleges BRP knew before the fatal incident that the Sea-Doo Switch had design problems that could make the vessel prone to capsizing.
The attorneys point out that in February 2025 – more than six months before the Flagstaff Lake tragedy – Bombardier issued a safety recall covering model-year 2022 through 2025 Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boats because of a potential capsizing risk.
The recall directed owners to bring affected boats to Sea-Doo dealerships for repairs, which included applying sealant to portions of the hull, adding warning labels and providing an operator’s guide addendum.
Underlying problems
According to the complaint, Richardson’s Boat Yard performed the recall repair on the boat involved in the fatal capsizing before it was sold.
However the lawsuit alleges that the recall remedy did not correct the underlying problems that created the capsizing risk.
The complaint further alleges that Bombardier had conducted testing showing the 2024 Sea-Doo Switch was prone to capsizing, particularly when passengers were seated toward the front and the vessel was operating at low speeds.
It also cites previous Sea-Doo Switch capsizing incidents, including a July 2024 incident in which a nine-year-old girl was trapped beneath a capsized vessel and drowned.
In October 2025, after the Flagstaff Lake deaths, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert – the ‘Sea-Doo Switch Capsizing Hazard.’
According to the complaint, the Coast Guard reported that multiple capsizing’s involving the Switch had resulted in fatalities and severe injuries and described conditions under which water entering the centre hull could affect the vessel’s trim and contribute to capsizing.
Significant step
“One year ago, these families suffered an unimaginable loss,” said attorney Travis Brennan.
“Today marks a significant step for the families in holding Bombardier accountable for what we believe is a dangerous and defective boat that they designed, manufactured, marketed and sold in Maine and across the country.”
The lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of the estates for Farhana Nasir, Noor Nasir and Kiran Akbar and damages for the physical and emotional injuries sustained by Khizer Nasir and Hassan Akbar.
The lawsuit asserts claims, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, wrongful death and survival claims, and punitive damages.
