he’s the guy that found $500 million off the coast of Portugal and had to give it back to Spain, eating all the costs
sorry, they abandoned it... as they didn’t spend the time looking for it... they aren’t entitled to any of it (still have no idea how it could be awarded to Spain... total bs)
Seems that international law has different rules for military ships than for civillian ones. I would think that a treasure hunter would know that before spending so much money. I think they did, took a gamble, and lost, so I can’t feel too bad for them.
shipwreck law is bizarre. salvage law, military wrecks, war graves, spoils of war, internationally recognized territorial waters, claimed territorial waters, the difference between a wreck and its cargo, the unesco 2001 convention on underwater cultural heritage, countries that claim title to unworked wrecks after a certain number of years (spain now claims title if a ship sinks and isn't salvaged in three years). that's just a start.
mel fisher fought florida for years over the atocha. the u.s. supreme court finally gave him title, but on the condition he would donate 20% of the salvaged gold, emeralds, and other treasure to the state of florida, which didn't lift a muscle or spend a penny (except to seize and defend fisher's lawsuits) over a 1622 wreck found in 1985.
the united nations estimates over 3 million ocean shipwrecks.