Titanic auction in New York on April 11

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Catfish

How can someone claim this stuff to belong to him ? To whom belongs the stuff ? How can it be sold ??

Based on several international laws and treaties, property that has been declared Flotsam or Derelic has had its legal ownership waived and who ever can recover it can sell it to whom they wish.

If the property is declared Jetsam or Lagan, the ownership still remains with the original owner. Anyone recovering it has to give it back to the original owner, but is compensated for the costs (including profit) of the recovery.


Maritime lawyers, get rich on Flotsam/Jetsam/Lagan/Derelict cases.

If there is something hauled up at all, this stuff belongs into a museum with indication of exact point found, and where it belonged on the ship.

That may be a morally laudable position, and one I support. Unfortunately it is not a legal one.

A museum has no automatic legal right to anything. The legal owner of the property may specify that all recovered items be sent to a museum (Egypt does this) but the museum/owner would be responsible for all the recovery costs.

[Sailor Steve]

"IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM"
-Indiana Jones.