Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures of the Seven Seas Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures of the Seven Seas
  • HOME PAGE
  • WET & HOT NEWS
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOS ALBUM
  • VIDEOS
  • SITES DIRECTORY
  • HOT LINKS
  • Unique Treasures /
  • WET & HOT NEWS ! /
  • Famous Wrecks /
  • Human Rights court rules against Vrow Maria divers

Human Rights court rules against Vrow Maria divers

By treasures | On 21/03/2010 | Famous Wrecks

Vrow Maria


From Helsingin Sanomat


The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a claim made by a group of divers against the Finnish state concerning a ship that sank in Finnish waters in the 18th century.

The court ruled against the divers who found the wreck of the Dutch ship, the Vrow Maria, off the southwest tip of Finland.

According to the ruling, Finland did not violate the divers’ rights by forbidding them from raising the sunken ship wreck, or from taking objects found in it.

The divers felt that as sea rescuers, they would have the right to monetary compensation for finding the Vrow Maria. They felt that Finland had treated them unfairly, and had favoured the Maritime Museum of Finland.

The Vrow Maria went down in the waters of Nauvo while en route to St. Petersburg.

The discovery of the wreck in 1999 led to a dispute between the finders and the National Board of Antiquities.

The lengthy legal battle that followed was a test of how legislation on ancient artefacts should apply to objects found under water.

The sunken vessel was found by the Pro Vrow Maria association, under the direction of professional diver Rauno Koivusaari.

The finders stipulated that they were engaging in maritime rescue, as defined under maritime legislation, when they brought up three clay pipes, one ceramic bottle, a seal, and a zinc ingot from the vessel in 1999.

They also felt that in accordance with maritime legislation, they were entitled to rescue compensation, and that as the first on the site, they were entitled to the salvage of the entire cargo.

The claim was rejected by Turku District Court in 2004. In the following year, the Turku Court of Appeals agreed that the wreck and its cargo are property of the state, in accordance with the law on antiquities.

The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on the matter in November 2005, after which the plaintiffs appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.


 

 


 

 

Vrow Maria European Court of Human Rights Finland Maritime museum Nauvo National Board of Antiquities

HOME PAGE

 

Countries Legislation

U/W Archaeology

Wild Hunters

Secret Treasures

Untold Treasures

Exclusive Wrecks

Tips, Ideas, Media

Not Found Yet !

Tag Cloud

100 years Australia Baltic sea Belfast Captain Edward Smith FLORIDA gold Great Lakes Indiana State Museum Indianapolis James Cameron Joseph Bruce Ismay Mercedes Molly Brown odyssey marine exploration OMEX shipwreck shipwrecks Spain Titanic Treasure White Star Line World War II wreck

Keep informed

Search Engine

search this site the web

Le trésor de la Reliance

News Feed

  • Shipwreck from time of Christ
  • More than 100 'perfectly preserved' Roman amphorae
  • One-tonne WWII mine from shipwreck
  • Biblical shipwreck of St Paul 'found'

Other Websites

Advertise with us !

Members Area

Create an account |  Lost password?

Follow us on Twitter      Find us on Facebook


Google+

© 2007-2019 oceantreasures.org
All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

  • Legal notices