2007-01-22 10:21:38 · 18 answers · asked by naplio 2 in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
You have a problem here... salvaging is different from what some of these people are doing, the containers on this vessel are still owned and insured by the merchant haulier. MSC, Maersk, P&O etc... some of the people salvaging these items are breaking open beached containers. This, as far as I know is a criminal offence (maritime law).
If the beached container is already open (the door seal is no longer intact) then salvagers are well within their rights to remove the contents, and good on them, I'd call it entrepreneurial (if there is such a word, if not there is now!) and looking after the environment, even if this is only accidental.
2007-01-23 00:26:13 · answer #1 · answered by robdunf 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marine Salvage Operatives. How's that?
The Maritime Act of 1995 actually allows for this; but, and there's always a 'but' isn't there. The salvage must be declared to the authorities and if the rightful owner asks for it back then return can't be refused by the salvour.
For much of the stuff the cost of tracking it down is more than declaring the loss to the insurers; in the BMW motorcycles case I think the 'salvour' may have some difficulty in getting the registration through. The engine and frame have serial numbers and I'm sure that BMW could supply these to the licencing department, thus ensuring that when the registration is applied for the true owner can claim the right of return.
Then there's always the 'finders fee' to negotiate - this wreck is going to be quite a story!
2007-01-22 10:44:02 · answer #2 · answered by stephen t 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If they are not going through the proper channels and reporting their finds to the relevent authorities then the law says it is theft plain and simple and they deserve everything they get - and I hope it is a long prison stretch. As long as they stay within the law and claim any rewards legally by filling in the relevant forms then I have no problems with it - it is salvage, and a legitimate past-time - if I lived near Devon I might be inclined to do it myself and get a legal reward for my efforts. What I do have a problem with is that is quite clear that a number of people turning up are little more than looters, not professionals and are putting it straight on eBay. That is criminal, and these people should be stopped.
2007-01-23 00:11:34 · answer #3 · answered by Mental Mickey 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Come on everyone, ships have been fair game thru the centuries! Now if some one lit a fire to emulate a light house as the pirates did in years gone by, well that would be a differant story, but they never the boat pilot was sleeping....
If goods are found at sea then it is liberation!!!
Remember "Whisky Galore" anyone? Apparantly there were three 40' containers of Dimple on that there ship!
2007-01-22 10:37:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I say good luck to them ,if it was oil on the beach the authorities would be screaming for people to help come and clean it up, but because it's Nappies and motor bikes and car parts they are called scavenger's. We should be grateful it happen in Devon, had it been Cornwall, Prince Charles would be there claiming it all, then he'd be selling it on E.bay. He owns all the beach's there and can claim anything found on the beach's !!
2007-01-22 17:59:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
hey - i say 'good luck' to them ! it follows in a long history of shipwreck salvagers in that area.... the ship and it's contents will be fully insured, so it's not as though they are doing massive harm by taking this stuff. don't get me wrong, i don't agree with stealing things, but a lot of the items that have been washed ashore would have just been written off as a loss anyway, due to water damage. in some ways they are doing people a favour by taking all that stuff away - it saves it all from being stuck on the coastline for goodness knows how long.
2007-01-22 10:29:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Funnily enough I was thinking the exact same thing when I was watching the news!
I'd call them re-cyclers or salvagers ;) They are cleaning up the coastline and it's not at all illegal so long as they declare the goods they recued. Scavengers is wayyy too harsh.
"great latitude is permitted in the common law of salvage to encourage salvors to rescue the vessel and any floating debris from otherwise total loss."
2007-01-22 10:25:54 · answer #7 · answered by riffyxraff 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
These companies will be claiming their insurance companies...Fact.
These goods now belong to the insurance companies, and any liability to clean up the mess...polluter pays ?. (we will wait and see this one)
BMW wont want salt corroded bikes and cant claim them both ways.
Too many sanctimonious do gooders, criticizing people for finding some wee treasure lying around.
Government should be making our towns and cities safer, not piddling around here.
Been there and done it..good luck boys fill your boots...lol
2007-01-22 18:15:58 · answer #8 · answered by smithy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scavengers? No, they are just the latest in a long line of pirates and wreckers. They've been doing this for generations.
Let's call them "beachcombers".
2007-01-22 11:19:12 · answer #9 · answered by Jellicoe 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Technically, if they don't report what they take, it is theft. However, most of the stuff will be of little value, as it is water damaged, so they are also being useful in cleaning up the area.
Good luck to them, but personally, I wouldn't do it myself. Unless the cargo was whisky.
2007-01-22 10:41:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋