Seaman seeks $50 million for sex assault

NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A Virginia seaman who claims he was sexually assaulted in South Korea wants a court to order the shipping company that later fired him to pay him $50 million.

The Mathews County man maintains in his civil lawsuit that his employer, Maersk Line Ltd., was negligent under maritime law and failed to provide him medical treatment following the alleged incident, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported.

The newspaper does not name victims of sexual assault, and a Maersk Line spokesman denied the allegations.

"The evidence contradicts claims made in the complaint," said Maersk Line spokesman Kevin Speers. "The court has recognized this as well, having dismissed many of the counts before the trial has started."

The lawsuit, which was headed to trial Monday, said the seaman was a steward-baker on the tanker Maersk Rhode Island in July 2008 when the alleged assault occurred. The man said he and four others went into Yosu, South Korea, where the ship had docked.

He said he got separated from his friends, and that several men wearing police uniforms kidnapped him, forcing him to consume alcohol before sexually assaulting him.

He said he met with the captain and told him about the assault and that he needed medical treatment, but was told reporting the incident could jeopardize the company's military contract.

The plaintiff said he was then fired under the "pretext of intoxication."

The 50-year-old man said he has suffered from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since the incident.