UK Wreck Law
It is a legal requirement under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 that all recovered wreck material landed in the United Kingdom must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck, whether recovered from within or outside UK waters and even if the finder is the owner. All wreck material recovered must be reported, however small or insignificant it may seem.
The Receiver of Wreck will investigate ownership of the recovered items. The owner has one year, after the material has been reported, in which to come forward and prove title to the property. During this period it is common for the finder to hold the wreck on behalf of the Receiver of Wreck while investigations are carried out. Finders should assume that all wreck items have an owner. It is possible for wreck material to be owned by an individual, a company, a dive club, an insurance company, the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) or the Department for Transport.
Wreck from UK waters which is still unclaimed at the end of one year, becomes the property of the Crown (or grantee of the Crown such as the Duchy of Cornwall). Any person who believes that they are entitled to unclaimed wreck must provide evidence of entitlement to the satisfaction of the Receiver. If wreck from UK territorial waters is unclaimed at the end of one year, the Receiver will dispose of the find on behalf of the Crown. If wreck from outside UK territorial waters is unclaimed at the end of one year, the Crown makes no claim, and the material is returned to the finder. Often the finder is allowed to keep items of unclaimed wreck in lieu of a salvage award.
Wreck and Salvage in the UK is covered by three main Acts. These are the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. In simple terms, the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 detail what salvors can’t do, and the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 covers what salvors can or must do.
- For a complete list of wrecks protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 see List of designations under the Protection of Wrecks Act.
Wreck can be reported to the Receiver by completing a Report of Wreck and Salvage Form.
Read more about this topic: Receiver Of Wreck
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