United States Citizen Sues Yacht Owners in Florida Federal Court Over Unpaid Captain’s Wages and Breach of Maritime Contract
Brett Eagan, a United States citizen and licensed master, has filed a verified maritime complaint in the Southern District of Florida against the motor yacht M/Y Joan’s Beach and its owners. The lawsuit, entered under Case No. 26-cv-80183, seeks to foreclose on a preferred maritime lien for unpaid seafarer wages and damages resulting from a breach of a verbal maritime employment agreement. Eagan alleges that despite serving the vessel for over three years, he was denied over one hundred thousand dollars in accrued vacation pay and agreed upon severance when the vessel was sold to a third party.
Vessel Captain Claims Unpaid Seafarer Wages Following Sale of Marshall Islands Registered Motor Yacht
The dispute centers on Eagan’s service aboard the M/Y Joan’s Beach, a 29.94 meter Mengi-Yay motor yacht registered in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. According to the court filing, Eagan was hired via a verbal agreement made in Broward County, Florida, to serve as the vessel’s captain starting in January 2021. Throughout his tenure, which lasted until September 2024, Eagan claims he performed duties beyond his role as captain, including serving as a mate and engineer because the yacht was not fully staffed with a professional crew. His compensation package reportedly included bi-weekly wages of eight thousand dollars and the accrual of nearly four days of vacation pay for every month of service.
Yacht Owners Accused of Breaching Maritime Employment Agreement and Withholding Earned Vacation and Severance Pay
The complaint asserts that when Eagan’s employment ended upon the sale of the yacht in late 2024, the defendants failed to provide his earned compensation. Specifically, the plaintiff alleges he is owed one hundred and thirty days of earned vacation pay totaling over one hundred thousand dollars. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that an authorized representative of the owners agreed to pay Eagan three months of severance pay, adding another fifty-two thousand dollars to the outstanding balance. Eagan argues that the failure to disburse these funds constitutes a significant breach of the maritime employment contract and violates general maritime law as well as the specific maritime regulations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Lawsuit Seeks Foreclosure of Preferred Maritime Lien Against Substitute Security Held in Florida Escrow
In a strategic maritime legal move, the plaintiff is seeking to foreclose a preferred maritime lien against a substitute security. Rather than a formal arrest of the vessel, the defendant DMA Family Ltd. deposited one hundred and fifty-six thousand dollars into an escrow account held by counsel in Jupiter, Florida. This substitute security stands in place of the M/Y Joan’s Beach to satisfy any potential judgment. The complaint invokes Supplemental Admiralty Rules C and E, requesting that the court declare the existence of the lien and order the escrow agent to disburse the funds to Eagan to cover his unpaid wages, interest, and associated legal costs.
Plaintiff Alleges Breach of Marshall Islands Maritime Act Due to Lack of Written Seafarer Employment Agreement
In addition to the financial claims, the lawsuit highlights a regulatory failure by the vessel owners. Eagan alleges that DMA Family Ltd. and the beneficial owner, Joan Apfel, breached the Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Act and its associated regulations by failing to provide him with a written seafarer’s employment agreement. By relying on a verbal agreement for a professional captain’s position on a commercially registered yacht, the owners allegedly bypassed standard maritime labor protections. The legal action seeks to hold both the corporate entity and the individual owner personally liable for the damages resulting from these contractual and regulatory breaches.
Contact a Maritime Wage and Labor Lawyer Today if You Have Been Denied Earned Seafarer Compensation
Seafarers, captains, and crew members who have been denied earned wages, vacation pay, or severance benefits are protected under robust maritime laws and lien rights. Vessel owners and operators have a non-delegable duty to honor employment agreements and adhere to international maritime labor standards. If you have provided service to a vessel and have not been properly compensated, or if your employer has breached a maritime employment contract, our team of experienced maritime lawyers is available to help you secure the wages you have earned. We understand the complexities of in rem actions and maritime liens and are dedicated to protecting the rights of those who work on the water.
Contact us now to speak with a maritime wage and labor attorney.
Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
