Seafarers attacked in the Strait of Hormuz sue shipping company in Thailand

Seafarers attacked in the Strait of Hormuz sue shipping company in Thailand 1 of 5 | Lawyer Kunpat Singhathong and three sailors from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, speak to journalists outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado) 2 of 5 | Noppadon Wongsuvan, a former sailor from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, is seen outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado) 3 of 5 | Panithi Tumkaew, a former sailor from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, stands outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado) 4 of 5 | Lawyer Kunpat Singhathong and Noppadon Wongsuvan, a former sailor from the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, walk towards the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado) 5 of 5 | A Thai lawyer holds legal documents for a case filed by former sailors of the Thailand-flagged ship, the Mayuree Naree, outside the Central Labour Court in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado) By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI and ANTON L. DELGADO Updated 9:18 AM MESZ, July 10, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Bangkok (AP) — Three former crew members of a Thai cargo ship struck in the Strait of Hormuz in March filed a lawsuit Friday against the vessel’s operator over labor rights violations and unfair dismissal. The ship, the Mayuree Naree, was hit by a projectile north of Oman on March 11, killing three people. The remaining 20 crew members were rescued and returned to Thailand about a week later. Former crew members Panithi Tumkaew, Noppadon Wongsuvan and Surades Manpuen filed the lawsuit against Precious Shipping Co. as well as two affiliated companies and the ship’s captain. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants endangered their lives by sailing through the strait despite the security risks, according to their lawyer Kunpat Singhathong. Kunpat said the three men were also dismissed before the completion of their nine-month employment contracts after the attack rendered the ship inoperable. He said they received compensation equivalent to two months’ salary. The compensation was inadequate because they have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, leaving them unable to continue working as sailors for the foreseeable future, he said. “We tried to negotiate with the company, but it denied responsibility, so we believe the matter should be brought to the court,” Kunpat said before filing the case with the Central Labor Court in Bangkok. The tenuous state of a US-Iran ceasefire renews anxiety over high fuel prices 5 MIN READ 616 US strikes Iran in response to a drone attack on a ship 6 MIN READ 986 UN agency pauses evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after attack on vessel 6 MIN READ 986 He declined to identify the amount of compensation they are seeking, only that it would be over a million baht ($30,000) per person. Panithi, who said he had worked for Precious Shipping for more than a decade, said his wife encouraged him to seek medical treatment after noticing changes in his behavior. “When there are loud noises, I’ll get startled,” he said. “I can’t work now, and I have to take medication.” Precious Shipping did not respond to requests for comment. The remains of the three crew members killed in the attack were repatriated to Thailand earlier this month. In a statement on July 3, Precious Shipping thanked everyone involved in the repatriation process and expressed its condolences to the victims’ families. The company said it “remains committed to providing full assistance, care, and support to bereaved families throughout this difficult time.” On Thursday, the United States launched new airstrikes against Iran, which responded by targeting American allies in the Middle East. The exchange of fire threatens an interim deal intended to help end the Iran war. The conflict has choked off the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for about a fifth of global trade in crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Most of this was bound for Asia, which has struggled with a continentwide energy shock since the war began on Feb. 28. The safety of stranded seafarers in the Persian Gulf has been a source of concern among Asian nations — like India, the Philippines and Thailand — whose citizens make up a significant portion of ship crews. “This is not simply a matter of shipping statistics,” said Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary-general of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization in a statement Wednesday. “Behind the figures are seafarers, and in some cases their families, who continue to bear the human cost of this conflict.” ANTON L. DELGADO Delgado covers climate and energy issues across Southeast Asia for The Associated Press. He is based in Bangkok. twitter instagram mailto