Odyssey Marine and other professionals would be amused…….
reading certain comments regarding research. Maybe SFRX is simply doing what I highlighted in bold below. I was very impressed how SFRX went and removed rings/fittings (now that’s valuable) without permission about the time the ink dried on the AC/DEP permits for Melbourne after complaining they were held up for most of the year.
Our marine research department continuously conducts research in an attempt to identify shipwreck projects that meet the following criteria:
Documented Cargo Value - The research must indicate that the shipwreck was likely carrying enough intrinsically valuable cargo to cover the high costs associated with deep-ocean exploration and advanced archaeological recovery. Commercially viable cargo typically includes gold, silver, jewels, or other high-value items. Odyssey sometimes engages in the preliminary exploration of a shipwreck for purely scientific purposes, even if the value of the wreck is largely cultural, historical or educational. (Can you say rings?)
Documented Navigation Information - The research must provide sufficient navigational information documenting the sinking location (or a particular area with potential for producing high value targets) in order to minimize the search area, (Melbourne couldn’t be any more minimal) as well as the cost and time involved, and to provide a reasonable expectation that the shipwreck can be found. (What navigational data shows the Concepcion is at Melbourne?)
Path to Ownership - The research must resolve or reasonably predict prior to recovery any issues relating to ownership of the shipwreck and its cargo. Questions pertaining to potential claimants, the location of the wreck inside or outside territorial waters, and the nature of the ship’s commercial or military mission are some of the important considerations that need to be understood in advance. (Hmmmm)
