A tugboat owner and its crew are looking for a $6 million payday for coming to the rescue of the Andrew J. Barberi after the Staten Island ferryboat’s deadly crash in 2003.
The nonjury trial began in Brooklyn federal court yesterday, pitting the owners and crew of the Dorothy J. against the city.
The tugboat steamed over to the wounded Andrew J. Barberi minutes after the ferry crashed into a pier, killing 11.
The plaintiffs’ argument for compensation stems from maritime law stating seamen are entitled to compensation for coming to the aid of a disabled craft.
Judge Edward Korman will determine how much the city must pay.
The tugboat crew prevented passengers from jumping into the water while the boat pushed the ferry into its berth, Captain Robert Seckers testified.
But city lawyer Wayne Meehan argued, “They did not save anything.”