COVENTRY PIRATE ATTACK HERO IN BIG LEGAL BATTLE.

Byline: By Jenny Waddington

HERO security officer Michael Groves foiled an armed attack by pirates while working on a cruise ship.

Armed with rifles and a rocket launcher, the gang blew a hole in the side of the liner as it sailed off the coast of Africa.

Incredibly, the 42-year-old from Coventry braved their bullets, and saw them off with fire hoses.

Now, more than two years later, he's launched a legal battle for compensation. He claims he suffered post traumatic stress disorder and has developed hearing problems.

The former policeman won the Queen's Gallantry Medal last year for his courage in fighting off the raiders.

Mr Groves was working as a security officer on board the Seabourn Spirit - which carries 200 passengers and 150 crew - when the pirates attacked on November 5, 2005.

The ship was just 63 miles off the Somalian coast, when the pirates in two fast open boats, armed with Kalashnikov AK47s and a rocket propelled grenade launcher, attacked.

Two grenades were fired into the ship, but Mr Groves and two Gurkha masters fought off the raiders and prevented them from boarding. When he was honoured for his bravery, Mr Groves said: "As soon as I went on the deck I came under automatic fire. A rocket grenade blew me off my feet."

Colleague Som Bahadur Gurung tried to activate a sonic cannon, known as a Long Range Acoustic Device, but was hit by a bullet and fell to the ground.

After dragging Mr Gurung to safety, Mr Groves turned the sonic weapon on the pirates and the mercenaries were forced to retreat.

However, a writ issued at London's High Court and just made public says Mr Grove was injured in the attack and has developed tinnitus - a hearing disorder.

He claims that this, coupled with post traumatic stress disorder, has meant he is unable to carry on working as a ship's security officer.

He has launched a legal battle for compensation of more than pounds 300,000 against Miami-based Carnival Corp and Seabourn Cruise Line, Carnival plc - all trading as Seabourn Cruise Line and Hong Kong-based Cunard Celtic.

He claims they were negligent by ignoring warnings of piracy, and by taking the ship within 63 miles of the coast of Somalia, instead of staying at least 150 miles out at sea.

And he accuses the companies of allowing the ship to travel too slowly, making it more vulnerable to attack.

He claims that piracy warnings were issued by the UK Department of Transport, US and Bermuda authorities, and the International Maritime Organisation.

He claims that on July 22, 2005, ships were warned to stay at least 150 miles off the Somalian coast, and to use extreme caution in the region.

He alleges the companies ignored the risks of piracy and terrorist attack, stood down the piracy watch and wrongly told him that the ship was 140 miles off the coast.

In the writ he claims that had he known the ship was so close to the coast, he would have warned them to increase the distance and to continue a piracy watch.

Mr Groves is seeking damages to cover his loss of earnings and pension loss, and says he is significantly prejudiced in the labour market as a result of his injuries.

A spokesman for Seabourn's head office in Miami said: "We are aware of the legal action, which we regret, but we are unable to comment whilst it proceeds."

CAPTION(S):

HONOUR ... Michael Groves pictured at Buckingham Palace when he was presented with the Queen's Gallantry Medal.; HIGH SEAS DRAMA... Michael Groves (left) and Som Bahadur Gurung were on board the Seabourn Spirit (top) when it was attacked by pirates 63 miles off the Somalian coast of Africa (inset). The two heroes successfully used a high-tech sonic cannon to send the heavily armed mercenaries packing. Below, one of the shells fired by the pirates embedded itself in the ship's deck.