European Court of Human Rights Rules Against Vrow Maria Divers

From Helsingin Sanomat:

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a claim made by a group of divers against the Finnish state concerning a ship that sank in Finnish waters in the 18th century.

The court ruled against the divers who found the wreck of the Dutch ship, the Vrow Maria, off the southwest tip of Finland. According to the ruling, Finland did not violate the divers’ rights by forbidding them from raising the sunken ship wreck, or from taking objects found in it.

The divers felt that as sea rescuers, they would have the right to monetary compensation for finding the Vrow Maria.

They felt that Finland had treated them unfairly, and had favoured the Maritime Museum of Finland.

The Vrow Maria went down in the waters of Nauvo while en route to St. Petersburg.

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