The family of an American college student who died after he was held prisoner in North Korea, has filed a claim on cargo ship that was seized from the country by US authorities.

Otto Warmbier was accused of theft on a visit to the secretive communist state in January 2016 and jailed for almost a-year-and-a-half.

When he was released back to the US in June 2017 he was in a vegetative state. He was blind and deaf, and had sustained severe brain damage. He died later that month.

Last December, a US federal judge awarded his family more than $500m (£399) in damages in a wrongful death suit against the North Korean government.

In an attempt to retrieve some those damages, his family have now filed a claim against the seized ship called the "Wise Honest".

North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits Show all 16 1 /16 North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, portraits of former supreme leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are required by law to be hung in the home, the classroom, the factory and all manner of other private and public places Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the classroom AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the living room AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the maternity ward of the hospital Alamy North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On board the ship Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the ballot box Mannen av börd North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the office AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the bridegroom Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the Pyongyang subway Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On a government building Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the teacher training facility AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the home AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the military parade Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the hall Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the Chinese border AFP/Getty

North Korea's second largest merchant ship, was carrying coal for sale.

Both American authorities and the United Nations have suggested that country uses the profits to fund its nuclear and ballistic missile program.

The US Justice Department called the seizure of the ship part of a “maximum pressure” campaign against the hostile nation.

“This sanctions-busting ship is now out of service,” said Assistant Attorney General John Demers at the time of seizure. Mr Demers heads the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“We are deeply committed to the role the Justice Department plays in applying maximum pressure to the North Korean regime to cease its belligerence.”

The pariah state did not involve itself in the Wambier lawsuit, leaving the family to “chase down the assets of North Korea to recover what they can for the torture and death of their son at the hands of North Korea’s dictator, who with “his cronies, show(s) no regard for human life,”” according to a court filing.