MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain investigating if recovered treasure was from its waters

Spain is investigating whether one of the world's biggest-ever finds of sunken treasure was plundered from its waters or from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon, the Madrid government said yesterday.

Florida-based treasure hunters Odyssey Marine Exploration (OME) said on Friday they had recovered gold and silver coins worth an estimated $500 million at an undisclosed location in the Atlantic Ocean. It flew out of Gibraltar to Tampa, Florida on a Boeing 757 on Thursday. Spain's Culture Ministry called the discovery "suspicious" and said the booty could have come from a wrecked Spanish galleon or the remains of HMS Sussexoff the coast of Gibraltar, which Spain and Britain have allowed Odyssey to survey. "Both taking (treasure) from Spanish waters or a Spanish vessel that sunk outside Spanish waters would be illegal," a spokeswoman for the ministry said. "The Culture Ministry reported the suspicion of possible criminal plundering and we alerted the civil guard (police) who are investigating." The Convent in Gibraltar said on Friday that the haul had nothing to do with the Sussex, a British flagship which sank in a storm in 1694. Last night Odyssey officials were equally adamant: "We can confirm that the "Black Swan" is not HMS Sussex, and that the "Black Swan" was not found in waters anywhere near the shipwreck believed to be HMS Sussex. Beyond that, we cannot confirm the identity of the shipwreck because we are not certain ourselves. The site is in an area in which a number of Colonial-era Shipwrecks were believed to be lost. The "Black Swan"bears characteristics of one shipwreck in particular, but some of the evidence gathered to date is inconsistent with our research, so we want to be sure of the identity before we announce it," they said. No KnowledgeOME said last night that it has no knowledge of any Spanish government inquiry, and said it would expect it would have been the first ones contacted if there was one. "In our experience with the Spanish Government, with whom we have had a very cordial relationship for many years, we would have been informed directly or through the US or UK embassy of any outstanding issues relating to Odyssey's operations." "During the past few days, we have also seen many fanciful media reports from Spain with absolutely no substance in reality. Unfortunately, some of these wild allegations would logically cause concern to the Spanish Government. We anticipate presenting the Spanish Government with an official account of our activities in order to assure them that many of these media reports relative to the 'Black Swan' are pure fiction," said OME. They restated that the recovery was conducted in conformity with Salvage Law and the Law of the Sea Convention, beyond the territorial waters or legal jurisdiction of any country. "We do not believe that the recovery is subject to sovereign immunity by any nation pursuant to the Law of the Sea Convention. The coins were brought into the United States with a valid export license granted by the country from which they were exported, and imported legally pursuant to US Law. There was no point at which any aspect of the "Black Swan"operation was within the jurisdiction of Spanish authorities, and we will be pleased to provide proof of that fact to the Spanish Government if requested officially." Guardia GuardThe company added that the Spanish Guardia Civil has always monitored Odyssey's ships in Spanish Territorial waters. "When operating in or near Spanish Territorial waters, we report our operational plans and movements to the Guardia Civil marine patrol before we send our ships to sea. They are able to monitor all our activities visibly with their patrol boats and through radar, so it is illogical to suggest that we have conducted any illicit operations in Spanish territorial waters," said Odyssey. OME says that if it is able to confirm that some other entity has a legitimate legal claim to this shipwreck when - and if - the identity is confirmed, it intends to provide legal notice to any and all potential claimants. "Even if another entity is able to prove that it has an ownership interest in the shipwreck and/or cargo and that they had not legally abandoned the shipwreck, Odyssey would apply for a salvage award from the Admiralty Court. In cases such as this, salvors are typically awarded up to 90% of the recovery," said OME. British newspapers have speculated that Odyssey's mystery treasure ship, codenamed Black Swan, was the Merchant Royal which sank just off the southern tip of England in 1641. However, the area has always been packed with shipping routes and could have been used by Spanish galleons taking gold and silver to the Spanish Netherlands or even by the Spanish Armada as it sailed to attack England in 1588. News of the discovery, which yielded gold and over 17 tonnes of silver coins, shot Odyssey's shares more than 60 percent higher on Friday. They were up another 6 percent on Monday. * Odyssey and the Disney organization have recently entered into a relationship on a number of projects, and the two companies are in discussions relative to some new partnership opportunities, OME has confirmed. It said that a combination of Odyssey's authentic deep-ocean adventures coupled with Disney's story-telling, film-making, television and marketing capabilities will reap benefits for both companies, while providing the public with an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy the thrill of deep-ocean exploration. (Gibraltar Chronicle)