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

Three former Thai seafarers have sued their employer in Bangkok, saying they were sent through the Strait of Hormuz despite known security risks and later dismissed and undercompensated after a March attack that killed three of their colleagues.

The lawsuit was filed July 10 in Bangkok Central Labor Court by Panithi Tumkaew, Noppadon Wongsuvan and Surades Manpuen against Precious Shipping Co., two affiliated companies and the ship's captain, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

The case centers on the Mayuree Naree, a Thai cargo ship that was struck by a projectile on March 11 while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Three crew members were killed in the attack, while the other 20 people aboard were rescued and later returned to Thailand.

The March attack

The plaintiffs say the voyage took them through a known danger zone and that the attack left the vessel inoperable. Their lawyer says the men were dismissed before completing nine-month contracts because of the damage.

A Wall Street Journal report from March 11 said the ship was hit in the engine room and that three Thai sailors were missing while 20 crew members were evacuated. The attack came amid wider regional violence affecting shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints.

The labor claims

The plaintiffs say they each received compensation equal to two months' salary after the incident. They are seeking more than 1 million baht, or about $30,000, apiece in the Bangkok case.

They also say they have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and cannot work as sailors for the foreseeable future. The lawsuit puts worker compensation, dismissal and mental-health harm at the center of the dispute, turning a wartime shipping incident into a labor case.

Company response and aftermath

Precious Shipping had not commented on the lawsuit before the filing, according to the AP report. On July 3, however, the company said it remained committed to supporting the victims' families and expressed condolences after the remains of the dead crew members were repatriated.

The case adds pressure on a company operating in a corridor where Asian governments have repeatedly raised concerns about seafarer safety. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global crude oil and LNG cargoes, which makes attacks there a commercial as well as human-risk issue.

What happens next

The next key questions are whether Precious Shipping files a detailed court response, whether the labor court accepts the claims and sets a hearing schedule, and whether Thai authorities or maritime regulators take any separate action.

The dispute could also draw broader attention if other crew members pursue related claims or if the case becomes a reference point for how courts assess compensation after attacks on commercial shipping.