Spain claims $500 million in sunken treasure

May 9, 2008 By HAROLD HECKLE, Associated Press Writer Spain claims $500 million in sunken treasure (AP)

Admiral Teodoro de Leste Contreras, who runs a naval museum owned by the ministry, speaks during a press conference in Madrid on Thursday, May 8, 2008. Spain laid formal claim Thursday to a shipwreck that yielded US$500 million (euros324 million) in treasure, saying it has proof the vessel is Spanish and demanding that a U.S. deep-sea exploration firm that recovered the booty give it all back. US lawyer James Goold, who represents the Spanish government, is seen in the background.(AP Photo/ Kote Rodrigo, EFE)

(AP) -- Spain formally laid claim Thursday to a shipwreck that yielded a $500 million treasure, saying it has proof the vessel was Spanish.

Content from The Associated Press expires 15 days after original publication date. For more information about The Associated Press, please visit www.ap.org .

Similar stories from PHYSorg:

Jellyfish swarm northward in warming world

8 hours ago | 3.9 / 5 (8) | 2

Hawaii planning to replenish sand at Waikiki Beach

Nov 14, 2009 | 3 / 5 (1) | 0

Google makes concessions on digital book deal (Update)

Nov 14, 2009 | 5 / 5 (2) | 2

NPD: October video game sales tumble 19 percent

Nov 13, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

CDC's swine flu toll: 4,000 dead, 22 million ill

Nov 13, 2009 | 1 / 5 (2) | 2

Rate this story - 3.7 /5 (26 votes)

rank
1
2
3
4
5

view popular

Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.

Display comments: newest first

mrlewish - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 4 / 5 (4)
If the wreckage is the property of Spain then I suggest that the company that found all the booty return it to Neptune and tell Spain to get it themselves. Also shouldn't the booty be Englands since it it their trophy since they sank it. Law of War and all that.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
superhuman - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 3.3 / 5 (3)
If you ever find a sunken treasure remember to keep your mouth shut!
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
holoman - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 4 / 5 (5)
Heh, how about returning the gold to the real owners. The people of central America who where enslaved, killed, and raped by Spain.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
1bigschwantz - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
It may be a little tough to keep quite about something this big when your hauling several tons of gold ashore. But if the ship was in international water, i have to say, finders keepers. P.S. I didnt catch any "Physics" in this article.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
mattytheory - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
@1bigschwantz: thats because the article is categorized as "Archaeology & Fossils".

@holoman: agreed!

@mrlewish: agreed as well!
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
trantor - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
the treasure belongs to Spain, the same way fallen US satellites belong to US no matter where they fell. Or US submarines, and their tech and nuclear reactors!
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
FelixDraconis - May 09, 2008
- Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Yeah. Send it back to the ocean floor. If Spain can't play fair and lift a finger to find their 'missing ship' then let them deal with it.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5
SDMike - May 10, 2008
- Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Be sure to drop the treasure somewhere new so spain can spend their money looking for it.

If ya don't look for it ya can't claim it when someone else finds it.
- report abuse
- - Current rank
  - 1
  - 2
  - 3
  - 4
  - 5

Other News

Today's children decide their school and career path early

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

15 hours ago | not rated yet | 0

Children as young as 12 have a strong sense of their personal futures and can reflect thoughtfully on what life might hold for them, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and led by ...

Glorious Dawn: Sagan, Hawking Sing (w/ Video)

Other Sciences / Other

Nov 12, 2009 | 4.6 / 5 (16) | 8

Astronomer and long time science advocate Carl Sagan once said that he was "not very good at singing songs." But on Nov. 9 in Washington D.C., his voice could be heard singing about the wonders of universe -- 13 years after ...

Rice sociologist looks at pediatric physicians' views on religion, spirituality

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 11, 2009 | not rated yet | 5

(PhysOrg.com) -- Pediatricians and pediatric oncologists express differing views on religion and spirituality, largely based on the types of patients they treat, according to a survey that will appear in the current edition ...

National anti-gun violence program largely successful, study finds

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 09, 2009 | 5 / 5 (3) | 3

Project Safe Neighborhoods - a community-based policing effort launched in 2001 - has been largely successful in its goal of reducing violent crime, according to an analysis by Michigan State University, the national research ...

Study: Nonprofits put brand at risk in corporate partnerships

Other Sciences / Economics

Nov 13, 2009 | 3.5 / 5 (2) | 2

Charities and other nonprofits may put their brand at risk when they partner with corporations on social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The public can easily construe such connections as a seal of approval of the corporation ...