( CNN ) -- A crew member on a U.S.-flagged cargo ship captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia is suing his employers , claiming they sent him into pirate-infested waters without adequate protection , his attorney said Monday . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has been charged with piracy in federal court in New York . Richard Hicks of Royal Palm Beach , Florida , a crew member on the Maersk Alabama , filed suit Monday against Waterman Steamship Corp. and Maersk Line Limited , according to the attorney , Terry Bryant . A spokeswoman for Mobile , Alabama-based Waterman Steamship Corp. said she did not know about the suit and did not immediately comment . A spokeswoman for Maersk Line Limited did not immediately return a call from CNN seeking comment . The Maersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates April 8 . Hicks , working as chief steward and preparing food for other crew members , heard over the loudspeaker that pirates were on board , and he and other crew members gathered in the ship 's engine room for nearly 12 hours , according to a news release from Bryant . `` The engine room was dark and hot , maybe 130 degrees , '' Hicks said in the news release . `` We were all cramping up with heat stroke symptoms when we were able to take a pirate hostage and tried to negotiate the return of our captain . '' The pirates promised to exchange Capt . Richard Phillips for the pirate hostage , but reneged on that agreement , the news release . Phillips offered himself as a hostage in exchange for the freedom of his crew . He was held on a lifeboat until U.S. Navy snipers on a nearby ship fatally shot three pirates , rescued Phillips and arrested a fourth pirate . The ship 's owners -- the two companies -- knowingly exposed their employees to danger and took no steps to provide appropriate security and safety for the crew , Bryant alleges . `` Waterman Steamship Corp. and Maersk Line Limited chose to rely on the United States military and taxpayers to provide after-the-fact rescue operations , '' Bryant said in the news release . `` This choice caused substantially more cost and risk to human life than what would have been incurred by defendants had they provided appropriate levels of security in the first place . '' Hicks is seeking at least $ 75,000 , and `` reserves the right to amend this pleading for a certain amount in the future , as it is too early to determine the maximum amount of plaintiff 's damages , '' according to the suit . Hicks is still suffering from injuries as a result of the incident and is afraid to return to work , the news release said .
Suit alleges crew sent into pirate-infested waters without protection . The suit says the ship was carrying a cargo of cocaine and marijuana when it ran aground in Belize on June 8, 2010. Maersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates April 8 . Plaintiff Richard Hicks , of Royal Palm Beach , Florida , was the ship 's steward .