Florida explorers back in court over treasure

[Gay Titan]

from the Associated Press newswire.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa-based deep-sea explorers are back in court in their effort to keep an estimated $500 million in recovered treasure.

Odyssey Marine Exploration is battling the Spanish government over the ownership of the 17 tons of coins and other artifacts raised from an Atlantic Ocean shipwreck last year.

A federal judge conducts another hearing in the case Monday morning.

Odyssey believes the treasure came from a Spanish galleon that sank in 1804. The company contends it is entitled to most of the booty because it found it and brought it up from the depths.

The Spanish government says it never expressly abandoned the treasure and that Odyssey should give it all back.

[Elliot Kane]

Under maritime law, Spain is grasping at straws, IIRC. If found off the coast of Florida, the US govt might claim a share but under normal salvage laws Spain are entitled to nothing. Doesn't matter whether the money was 'expressly abandoned' or not. That's just snow.

If I were Spanish I'd be pretty embarrassed that my govt was both so stupid and so desperate for money, honestly.

[LaFille]

There's not only money, but artifacts and historical/patriotic value there; if it were from my country, I too would want to try to recuperate at least a part of it.

[Elliot Kane]

Yeah, but you could do that by buying it.