This I thought was interesting...

MontyB

MontyB

All-Blacks Supporter
What are the laws regarding merchant shipping and war graves?

Blue Water Ventures International Expanding Recovery Efforts

Press Release: Blue Water Ventures International, Inc. – Tue, Jun 11, 2013 7:41 AM EDT


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Water Ventures International, Inc. (the "Company") (OTC trading symbol "BWVI") today announced that the Company will be expanding its recovery efforts to include deeper underwater targets, including merchant ships from WW1 and WW2. These shipwrecks are in both US & International waters. Given the higher costs associated with deep water salvage, each project will require significant funding that the company will have to raise on its own or with deep water joint venture partners. The company has obtained several targets of interest, and intends to immediately begin the requisite survey and archeological review to further refine these targets of interest prior to raising the capital needed to engage in these recovery operations.
Keith Webb, the Company's President stated "Creating a unit of Blue Water that explores deeper underwater sites certainly has its challenges but we are encouraged that our research and due diligence will provide our team with the best opportunity for financial success.
Blue Water Ventures International, Inc. is a historic shipwreck research and recovery company that locates and recovers lost underwater treasures dated from pre-colonial times to our recent past.
Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions and involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the successful funding of our current operations, the successful development and funding of deep water salvage operations and the overall execution of our business plan, as well as many other factors which may or may not be beyond our control. No guarantee can be given that we will successfully conclude these endeavors.


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/blue-water-ventures-international-expanding-114118271.html
 
I vaguely recalled something relating to this happened a few years back and I think a judge in the UK or USA ruled that a merchant ship can be considered as a war grave.

Update: Found it but it was far further back than I remembered, 2006 to be exact. However it seems to relate to RN personnel serving on merchant ships.
I think it really means that each merchant ship will be considered on a case by case basis as unless they are commissioned into a navy, they are classed as not in military service at the time of their sinking - so, salvagers and looters would be free to do as they please.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/oct/06/secondworldwar.world
 
KevinTheCynic said:
I vaguely recalled something relating to this happened a few years back and I think a judge in the UK or USA ruled that a merchant ship can be considered as a war grave.

Update: Found it but it was far further back than I remembered, 2006 to be exact. However it seems to relate to RN personnel serving on merchant ships.
I think it really means that each merchant ship will be considered on a case by case basis as unless they are commissioned into a navy, they are classed as not in military service at the time of their sinking - so, salvagers and looters would be free to do as they please.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/oct/06/secondworldwar.world
Click to expand...


It is interesting as I would not have thought that there would have been a lot of "civilian" traffic during either of the world wars and as such I would like to think that merchant navy personnel killed during ww2 would have their ships treated as war graves.
 
i believe that the shipwrecks should be left in peace, unless they had something in them that could cause damage to surrounding environment or be a potential hazard for the shipping lanes
 
In regards to merchant ships during the two world wars, despite not being "in military service" they were still very obviously engaged in activities to support the war effort.
For smaller conflicts I suppose the authorities could claim that merchant ships were not directly involved and so don't deserve the status of war grave even if they were sunk due to enemy action.

But WW1 and WW2, these were not skirmishes, they required total commitment from military and civilian personnel. The merchant marine were a vital part of keeping the military forces of both sides supplied. I think the use of "not in military service" is a bit of a cop out but does it then diminish the sacrifices of military personnel to allow civilians to lay claim to war grave status?
That's a grey area that will, I suspect, continue to be open for debate.
 
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