Lost Treasure Found -- and Spain Sues

[Amnorix]

This is an odd story. Perhaps you may have heard but a few weeks ago a company that is in the high-risk business of searching for lost treasure -- specifically sunken ships carrying loads of treasure from the New World ot the Old -- found a huge prize. Reportedly worth nearly $500 million.

They refused to identify the ship or the location, but stated that it was outside any country's territorial waters.

Now, Spain has sued saying "hey, that might be our stuff". I doubt anybody who isn't an attorney would recognize the firm they're using, but Covington and Burling is a top shelf, very high priced, very elite and well connected NY Law firm.

I really, REALLY hope they lose. Otherwise, WTF is the point of these people spending unbelievable amounts of time, money and effort trying to find and recover lost treasures. It seems to me that at some point after hundreds of years, the simple "finder's keepers" rule should come into play.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/31/shipwreck.treasure.ap/index.html

[Brock]

Hey, that's our stuff that we looted from the primitives! Give it back!

[pikesome]

My understanding is that Spain's stated position is that the salvage company is being so tight with info they don't even know if they have legitimate claim. Hence the suit to get info. If it really is in international waters Spain isn't going to win, three hundred years of law seems to be an insurmountable obstacle unless there's more to the story.

[kcchiefsus]

If I were the treasure hunting firm and the Spanish won this lawsuit I would go back out into the middle of the ocean and poor the $500 million back into the ocean. You want it you stupid European bass-turds, find it yourselves.

[StcChief]

My understanding is that Spain's stated position is that the salvage company is being so tight with info they don't even know if they have legitimate claim. Hence the suit to get info. If it really is in international waters Spain isn't going to win, three hundred years of law seems to be an insurmountable obstacle unless there's more to the story.
Spanish navy turns Pirate on their ass.

[Eric]

Can Mexcico sue?

Finders keepers.

[Valiant]

My understanding is that Spain's stated position is that the salvage company is being so tight with info they don't even know if they have legitimate claim. Hence the suit to get info. If it really is in international waters Spain isn't going to win, three hundred years of law seems to be an insurmountable obstacle unless there's more to the story.


That and if they win, Egypt is going to get all their shit back from Europe...

[kepp]

Spanish navy turns Pirate on their ass.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrr"
http://www.zap2it.com/media/photo/2007-05/29495165.jpg

[Iowanian]

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.

Maybe SPAIN should have found and recovered something they have lost for hundreds of years, if they wanted it.

Were their any Aztec skulls or neck bones still connected to the Gold chains?

[InChiefsHeaven]

Finders keepers. Screw the Spaniards...if they wanted something so bad they should have been looking for it themselves...the funny thing is, they don't even know where or what was found, they are suing "just in case"...

[StcChief]

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.

Maybe SPAIN should have found and recovered something they have lost for hundreds of years, if they wanted it.

Were their any Aztec skulls or neck bones still connected to the Gold chains?
I agree.... Salvage company needs to be quiet until it's safe and secure.

There are Pirate ships out at sea, w/o Scull X flag.

[Skyy God]

What kind of lawyer are you, not being down with every case filed? Our law brethren gotta eat, gotta make the Rover and Montessori tuition payments.

[ROYC75]

I also heard that the recovery crew has a 500 million dollar fee in bringing it up from the bottom of the sea.

[Iowanian]

They should shut the hell up before that company sinks their entire Armada of rowboats again.