‘Below Deck Down Under’ Hit With $9 Million Lawsuit, Here’s Why

Below Deck Down Under premiered earlier this month on Peacock. It’s the latest spinoff series in the ever-growing Below Deck franchise. Fans have already been raving about the new series. But someone issued a $9 million lawsuit. They sued the producers for the damages made to the Thalassa superyacht known as the Keri Lee III.

Captain Jason Chambers has a new crew and a new superyacht. He had to get hands-on with his job to ensure nothing terrible happens. In a confessional, Jason revealed a time when he crashed a superyacht into a marina that was next to a group of diners. According to recent court documents, it sounds like something happened with this new superyacht.

Below Deck Down Under producers responsible for damages made to 55-meter vessel

Starcasm obtained the court documents on Monday, March 28. The filings reveal the Below Deck Down Under producers are in a lawsuit with the owner of the My Thalassa, which has changed its name to the My Keri Lee III. Australian native Trevor Lee and his wife, fashion designer Keri Craig-Lee are the owners of the superyacht.

They sued the producers for over $9 million in damages made to their yacht. They claim the damage is with Mountain View Productions, LLC, which produces Below Deck Down Under. The dispute took place in front of a judge in an Australian federal court. The court made the filings public.

However, there are no details about the alleged damages made to the superyacht. It was only noted that damage to the keel and exterior paint. The owners claim that there are damages made in the amount of 12.85 million Australian dollars. The alleged events happened in May 2021, around the same time the cast of Below Deck Down Under filmed the show.

The estimate could include the repainting of the exterior. It makes sense since Captain Glenn Shephard crashed the Parsifal III in Season 2 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht. He ended up with a $20,000 bill and a bruised ego. It’s possible that the My Keri Lee III ended up in a worse wreck.

Did Captain Jason Chambers crash the superyacht?

The Below Deck Down Under star is no stranger to boat crashes. Jason was the captain of the 45.6-meter superyacht Moatize when it crashed into a Queensland marina in 2019. He made international headlines when it crashed into an outdoor dining area. Some of the guests scrambled for their life.

Jason spoke to an Australian news outlet to reveal what happened. It’s unclear if Jason was responsible when the My Keri Lee III sustained damage in the lawsuit. The Below Deck Down Under trailer didn’t hint about a potential crash in the preview trailer. What are your thoughts on this lawsuit? Sound off below in the comment section.

New episodes of Below Deck Down Under drop on Thursdays on Peacock.