“Former colonial powers have dominated claims to ownership of these historic shipwrecks, even once brought on shore,” he said.
“Spain in particular has been active in claiming the contents of colonial-era shipwrecks against private salvage companies. In general, ‘source’ countries have not had much of a look-in.
This is an anomaly in a world where Commonwealth and other governments are demanding slavery reparations.
Why should countries in the Caribbean, South America and elsewhere not be able to lay claim to their underwater cultural heritage?”
Tim Maxwell, an international cultural heritage lawyer and a partner at London law firm Wedlake Bell, highlighted the example of a Spanish galleon, the San José, sunk by a British squadron in 1708.
It went down with gold, silver and emeralds worth billions of dollars today – sparking ownership claims in recent years from Colombia, Spain, Bolivian Indigenous groups and a US salvage company.
Although it lies in Colombian waters, Spain has argued it was part of its fleet returning from what was then part of the Spanish empire.
The wreck could be lifted this year.
