SS Minden found with possibly $130 million in gold...

[Jolly Mon]

British treasure hunters 'find 'Nazi gold' near Iceland | Daily Mail Online

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...n-could-contain-millions-nazi-gold/504762001/

 

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[Urban Legend]

Strange laws.... I'd have thought 120 miles offshore would be international waters ?

 

[galenrog]

Since 1982, the UN standard for territorial economic zones has been 370 kilometers. About 200 miles.

Too late for coffee, but there is always tomorrow.

 

[Darren in NC]

"The treasure hunters, who believe the haul belongs to the finder of the box, want to bring the contents back to Britain..."

If allowed to do so, it would be the smartest move they could make. Bringing it to the Receiver of Wreck in London requires anyone claiming rights to any cargo to prove ownership. Spain would never have bested Odyssey if the the silver had been brought to London. Spain wouldn't have been able to prove it. In this case, Germany would have to prove it. I seriously doubt there are any records that would do so.

 

[seekerGH]

One hell of a recovery vessel.



a few issues here:

1. The story is gold from banks in S America delivering gold TO Germany?

2. S America to Germany, and it was sunk off the Coast of Iceland?

3. Authorities became aware of the firm after a stationary Norwegian research boat Seabed Constructor, rented by the firm, was spotted in Icelandic waters.
According to Iceland Monitor, when the coastguard asked the crew why they were there, they gave 'vague and different explanations', prompting the coastguard to instruct them to dock at a pier Reykjavik before sending in police to question the crew.
Georg Lárusson, director of the Icelandic Coastguard, told the website they did not have a permit to search in Icelandic waters.

Thats a great way to begin the process of asking permission.

EDIT: The SS Minden set sail from Brazil on September 6, 1939 after officials from Banco Germanico, a subsidiary of German Dresdner bank helped load the ship's cargo.

So something is known about this transfer. Dresdner Bank still exists and is now Commerzbank. It may have been transported in secret, but not transferred in secret. It appears it was a German government bank account and Germany has been pretty vocal about claiming property.
Ownership does not appear to be in question here.

EDIT Part II: More drama... Icelandic authorities have accused the British company of infringing its sovereignty and forced a halt to the mission.
Sources close to the Icelandic investigation have said they understand the treasure hunters are expecting to find gold in the wreck.

Found...or expecting to find?

or... The box was found by UK-based Advanced Marine Services inside the post room of the SS Minden at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off Iceland.

 

[seekerGH]

Its getting thick!

A hidden agenda?
The decision by the Icelandic authorities to ban the ship from engaging in further research in Icelandic waters suggests that they did do not accept the company's argument that they were engaged in a salvage operation. Had they accepted this explanation the Seabed Constructor would have been allowed to continue its mission.
A local historian, Illugi Jökulsson, explores the history of the SS Minden in an article in the local newspaper Stundin, reviewing all the known sources on the ship's last voyage, pointing out that while it is possible the ship would have been carrying some secret treasure, no sources hint at this.Illugi argues that it is more likely the treasure hunt is being used as a cover for the real mission of the Seabed Constructor:
"Either the British company has found some new information which has eluded everyone for the past 80 years, or they are using the Minden as cover for something else they are studying at the bottom of the ocean. For the time being I find the second explanation more likely."

Mysterious research vessel will not be allowed to continue its secret research S.W. of Iceland | Icelandmag

Loooking for gold, found gold, or a secret wreck!

Crew of the Minden was saved, no guards? Opening the seacocks would leave for a nice intact wreck, but it still would have been an adventure to get ROV's into the post room.

July 24: Officials in Iceland are expected to give a statement in the coming days to reveal who owns the wreck, which lies 120 miles off the country’s southeastern coast.

 

[Darren in NC]

Update: Oct 12, 2017

The Minden's German Steamship Minden is about 2,240 meters deep, but its crew scuttled its ship in September 1939. Advanced Marine Services leased the Seabed Constructor research vessel to search for valuables in Minden and the crew started to wreck when the Coast Guard stopped the operations at the beginning of April. The farm must have been a resemblance to resin, but the British will overcome the value of both gold and silver, which is thought to be in a box in the mailroom of the ship. The Environment Agency has granted the UK operating license valid until the first of May next year.

Agnar Bragi Bragason, lawyer at the Environment Agency, says that the British can start their search immediately, but they need to be notified on a week's notice. "We do not have information about when they will start the process, they can probably go to it this season, but the license is about going to a shipwreck 120 miles south east of the country and cutting the wreck and removing from there boxes they consider that can contain value, "says Agnar.

The operating license stipulates that the value that may be found in the wreck is recorded and that information is submitted to the Environment Agency. Agnar says that such a search can cause pollution, but the operating permit allows the Environment Agency to monitor the implementation. "However, we believe there is no high likelihood of contamination or irreversible impact on the environment, but on the other hand we issue this operating license and the purpose of operating licenses is also to reduce risk."

The work permit is valid until May 1, 2018. Initially, it would be valid for the year, but Agnar says that the British would like to have it farther so they could get back to the wreck again next spring. "The license came into force today and they need to report a week in advance when they will start the implementation. They are obliged to list down certain information, all they take from the ship and more and should report on it at the end, "says Agnar.

The Environment Agency requested comments on the application and one complaint was received from the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, who claimed to be the owner of the fleet. However, they did not make a special request to seek it, and no objections or comments were received from the German company when issuing the operating license.

update using translation from Fá leyfi til að leita verðmæta í Minden | RÚV

 

[enrada]

Seabed Constructor
Same ship looking for MH370 off west coast of Australia. Must be awesome salvage vessel using multiple AUV's. Wonder how much per day rental is?

 

[seekerGH]

about $3 million per month

nothing more on this since they got the boot.

BTW. The title of the thread states "SS Minton found" where is that?

I see that there was a search that was stopped, but found is not mentioned.

 

[enrada]

When I look at a treasure hunting group, my first question is "Is it company listed on the stock exchange or is it a privately funded project". Stock exchange funded projects usually talk about things that create publicity. Privately funded projects show pictures of treasure found.