The sinking in March 2008 of the Alaska Ranger in the Bering Sea has already spawned 21 personal-injury and 2 wrongful-death lawsuits, according to the Seattle Times.

The Times' Mike Carter reports that the boat's owner, Fishing Company of Alaska, is seeking to invoke a little-used 1851 maritime law that limits the damages faced by the company.

The 189-foot boat had 47 crew members on board and was heading out to fish for mackerel when bad weather forced everyone to abandon ship in 35-degree rough seas, the Times reports.  Forty-four crew members were rescued, while five perished including the ship's captain, Eric Peter Jacobsen.