20070712 Spain seizes ship in treasure row

Spain seizes ship in treasure row

July 12^th, 2007

The Spanish Civil Guard has intercepted a boat operated by a US company amid a row over treasure from a shipwreck.

The guard had been ordered by a Spanish judge to seize the vessel as soon as it left the British colony of Gibraltar.

Gibraltar officials and Odyssey Marine Exploration, which owns the ship, said Spain had boarded the ship illegally as it was in international waters.

In May, Odyssey said it had found $500m (£253m) in coins from a 17th Century wreck somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.

[…]

The salvaged booty, which included half a million silver coins and hundreds of gold objects, has already been flown back to the US.

[…]

Some experts believe the wreck to be the Merchant Royal, an English ship carrying stolen Spanish treasure which sank in 1641.

US coin expert Dr Lane Brunner has said there is evidence the shipwreck was found off England's Cornish coast.

Odyssey has kept the location of its find secret, citing security and legal reasons.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6896645.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6896645.stm

Published: 2007/07/12 21:46:57 GMT

© BBC MMVII

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