Treasure hunter claims $3bn WWII-era find off US coast

[Comet]

I knew I should have become a treasure hunter instead of going to college.

A Maine treasure hunter says he has discovered a WWII-era shipwreck filled with platinum, now worth $3bn (£1.9bn).

Greg Brooks of Sub Sea Research says a wreck sitting 50 miles (80km) off the US Atlantic coast is the SS Port Nicholson, sunk in 1942.

The Port Nicholson, a British merchant ship, was torpedoed by a German U-boat in an attack that killed six people.

Some have expressed doubts the wreck holds platinum, and maritime law would complicate ownership claims.

Anthony Shusta, an attorney representing the British government, says it is unclear if the ship ever carried platinum.

"We're still researching what was on the vessel," Mr Shusta told the Associated Press news agency. "Our initial research indicated it was mostly machinery and military stores."

The United Kingdom will wait until salvage operations begin before deciding whether to file a claim on the cargo, he added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16847737

 

[myp]

Wow, that is amazing. I wonder what his cut will end up being.

 

[Calvin]

Wow, that is amazing. I wonder what his cut will end up being.

I live close to Maine but this is the first I've heard about this story. Obviously platinum is a precious metal, although you do not hear about it nearly as often as you do about the price of gold.

It seems every time you turn on the television, you hear that gold and oil are increasing in price. However you don't hear about the other precious metals such as silver and platinum.

I don't see any good reason why the British government would lie about the contents of this ship. Presumably that in itself means there is only worthless cargo aboard, because if there was anything worthwhile aboard the ship, it's likely the British government would already be making demands that the cargo be returned to them.

I guess ultimately we will just have to wait and see how this turns out, but it is certainly an interesting story nonetheless.

 

[David]

I live close to Maine but this is the first I've heard about this story. Obviously platinum is a precious metal, although you do not hear about it nearly as often as you do about the price of gold.

It seems every time you turn on the television, you hear that gold and oil are increasing in price. However you don't hear about the other precious metals such as silver and platinum.

I don't see any good reason why the British government would lie about the contents of this ship. Presumably that in itself means there is only worthless cargo aboard, because if there was anything worthwhile aboard the ship, it's likely the British government would already be making demands that the cargo be returned to them.

I guess ultimately we will just have to wait and see how this turns out, but it is certainly an interesting story nonetheless.

The Brits already picked over the wreck. They had to pull out because of the weather but they'd of returned had they found anything. This guy isn't trying to get rich off he cargo, he's trying to get rich off idiot doners.