Three former crew members of the Mayuree Naree filed a lawsuit against their former employer, alleging they were denied adequate compensation and medical support after surviving the cargo ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Thai cargo vessel came under attack on March 11 during heightened tensions in the Middle East. The ship was carrying 23 crew members. Twenty were rescued, while three who were initially reported missing were later confirmed dead.
Following the incident, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the vessel ignored warnings to stop while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The shipping company previously maintained that it had coordinated with relevant authorities before the voyage.
The Mayuree Naree lawsuit was filed today, July 10, at the Central Labour Court by former crew members Panithi, Noppadon and Suradate, represented by lawyer Kanpat Singthong.
The defendants named in the case are Precious Shipping Public Company Limited (PSL), Precious Flowers Co., Ltd., Great Circle Shipping Agency Co., Ltd., and the vessel’s captain, Sathaporn.
According to the statement of claim, the plaintiffs allege that the defendants exposed employees to danger by proceeding with the voyage despite warnings about the security situation, resulting in injuries and fatalities.
The former crew members also claim they were unfairly dismissed after the incident and did not receive appropriate compensation or financial support for medical treatment.
Kanpat said several former crew members have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leaving them unable to resume normal daily life or continue working at sea.
The lawyer said legal action became necessary after negotiations with the employer failed to resolve the dispute.
According to Kanpat, the employer paid the three crew members compensation equivalent to two months’ salary before terminating their employment in April. He argued that the payments did not fulfil the terms of their nine-month employment contracts.
Panithi, who said he had worked for the company since 2015, stated that his employment was terminated because the company wanted him to focus on recovering from PTSD.
He said the condition continues to affect his daily life, causing anxiety, sensitivity to loud noises and requiring ongoing medical treatment, leaving him unable to begin new employment.
Kanpat said the court should determine what compensation the former crew members are entitled to, including medical expenses and damages for the long-term impact of the incident.
The Central Labour Court accepted the complaint and scheduled a hearing to define the issues in dispute for September 28 at 9am.
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