Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc., the Florida-based, NASDAQ-listed treasure hunting company, has had another encounter with Spanish authorities, this time involving a navy warship that forced the boat Odyssey Explorer to return to the port of Algeciras “at gunpoint”. The Independent reports the incident, and quotes a company spokesman saying it will try to block Spanish police from searching the boat, thought to contain booty from inside Spanish waters.
Odyssey describes itself as “engaged in the archaeologically-sensitive exploration and recovery of deep water shipwrecks”, however its main trade is in collecting and selling over the internet underwater finds (mainly coins) from international, territorially uncertain, or undeclared waters, and its website contains no links to what might be called an archaeological report.
June 22, 2008 at 1:12 am
[...] June 22, 2008 As the legal proceedings by the Spanish government against maverick American treasure hunting outfit Odyssey Marine Exploration drag on, a less high-profile story involving maritime loot has [...]
February 9, 2009 at 3:28 pm
[...] A hint for the good collectors of the sea February 9, 2009 They’re at it again. American treasure hunting firm Odyssey Marine Exploration last week announced (belatedly) the discovery in the English Channel of an 18th-century shipwreck, identified as HMS Victory. It’s another spectacular boon for the company, bound to haul in yet more treasure, tie-ins and profit. The company’s boss, Greg Stemm, said “the money is not as important as the cultural and historical significance of the discovery.” Sure. Yet coin collectors are already salivating over the prospect of 4 tons of gold. Oh, and its also a grave site of more than a thousand people. With a compliant British government, Odyssey can expect none of the lawsuits or bad press caused by those pesky Spaniards. [...]