Franklin Freddy Meave Vazquez, 27, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday for murder over the fishing boat attack off the coast of Massachusetts in September

An illegal Mexican immigrant has been indicted for murdering a shipmate with a hammer and injuring two others in an attack on board a fishing vessel off the coast of Massachusetts.

Franklin Freddy Meave Vazquez, 27, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday for murder in the second degree, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon over the fishing boat attack back in September.

Meave Vazquez was on board the Captain Billy Haver ship about 55 miles off the coast of Massachusetts with six other crew members on September 23 when he allegedly attacked a man with a hammer and knife.

The US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts said the man who was attacked saw another crew member already lying on the deck bleeding.

Meave Vazquez allegedly then struck a third crew member with the hammer.

He then climbed up the mast of the ship as others on the boat tried to capture him, prosecutors said.

The ship's captain put a call out on the distress channel and a German cruise ship, Mein Schiff 6, responded.

Meave Vazquez was on board the Captain Billy Haver ship about 55 miles off the coast of Massachusetts with six other crew members on September 23 when he allegedly attacked a man with a hammer and knife

Prosecutors said Meave Vazquez, who is a Mexican national, is illegally in the U.S. He has been held in prison ever since his September arrest

The two wounded shipmates were taken onto the cruise ship for treatment, but the other victim was pronounced dead by the ship's doctor.

'We have a man gone crazy here on the boat, man,' the captain could be heard saying in audio.

'One man, I don't know if he's dead or what. But one of the crew members went crazy, and he started hitting people in the head with a hammer. I got three men that's injured now. One I can't wake him up.'

Prosecutors said Meave Vazquez is illegally present in the U.S.

He had previously been arrested in Newport News, Virginia in March for abduction by force, intimidation or force and was released on bond.

In that instance, he had allegedly tried to abduct and strangle his 20-year-old American wife.

He faces life in prison if convicted of the murder charge.

Meave Vazquez has been in prison since his September arrest.