Posted on 05/09/2008 6:41:53 AM PDT by Joiseydude
MADRID, Spain — Spain formally laid claim Thursday to a shipwreck that yielded a US$500 million treasure, saying it has proof the vessel was Spanish.
Officials demanded the return of the booty recovered last year by a U.S. deep-sea exploration firm, saying the 19th-century shipwreck at the heart of the dispute is the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes — a Spanish warship sunk by the British navy southwest of Portugal in 1804 with more than 200 people on board.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If anyone other than the finder has claim, it’s Britain, who sunk it. (They could hav seized it instead, having been victorious in battle against it.) What is the basis for Spain’s claim?
Tell those filthy Communists running Spain to go fornicate themselves!
Spain is today run by Communists.To a Communist,everything belongs to the State.
In return, modern day Incas demanded that Spain return all Incan gold, saying that they have proof that the gold came from what is now modern-day Mexico.
Law of salvage applies here. If the ship is sunk or abandoned then the finder / retriever owns it.
finders keepers
Brings to mind that annoying commercial, “it’s my money and I want it NOW, whaaaa!”
Well, what happens, and almost all gov’t are in on this, is they claim it is not abandoned.. its their ship, and they are just sort of leaving it there right now. Of course it’s BS, but governments can’t stand not taking a cut of anyone else’s windfall.
That’s pretty funny, and yet entirely responsive to my post.
Spain argues that the entire treasure should be returned because naval vessels remain the property of the nation that flagged them, regardless of where they lie, under the principle of sovereign immunity.
Governments have been getting greedy lately with the salvage. Even if they do have a right to the treasure under maritime law, I think they’d owe Odyssey a finding and salvage fee.
I’d tell the Spainards to come and take it, if they can. They roll over when the terrorists struck. It’s amazing that they once ruled the world.
Can’t have it Spain...we need it to pay for gas.
;)
Sorry Charlie.
WAS is the operative word.
Spain had better watch out or the Islamic Empire landed in Mecca is going to demand “national treasures” from when they pwned Spain.
Note to self, when finding treasure, never tell anyone.
OTOH, I can kind of understand the concept. Although there's no treasure, we wouldn't want anyone fishing around in the Yorktown for valuables.
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