This is because these artifacts may have come from a French fleet led by the explorer Jean Libert, who established colonies in Florida in 1562 and 1565. In a ruling on legal disputes published last week, American judge Carla Spalding handed over the ownership of the sunken ship and its precious cultural relics to France.
Global Marine Enterprise (GME), a Florida marine salvage company, found three magnificent bronze cannons on the sunken ship, each of which was worth more than US$ 6,543.8+0,000. In May and June of 2065.438+06, a unique marble monument (now regarded as "priceless") was found near Cape Canaveral. [20 most mysterious shipwrecks in history]
In the evidence provided to the court, GME claimed that Spanish attackers plundered cannons and monuments from the early French colony of Fort Caroline in Florida in 1565, so they boarded a Spanish ship, probably bound for Cuba. When the ship sank off the coast of Florida,
However, the court ruled that they may be on Libo's flagship "La Trinité", which sank in a storm near Florida in 1565, and any cultural relics on the sunken ship still belong to France.
When the company discovered the cannons and monuments on the sunken ship in May and June of 20 16, the sunken treasure GME operated in seven submarine areas near Cape Canaveral with the permission of Florida.
In addition to three bronze cannons and a monument with the French king's armband, GME divers also found 19 iron cannon, 12 anchor and other objects buried under sand about 3 feet deep. Robert pritchett pritchett, CEO of GME, said in an interview with Field Science in August, 2065 that 438+06.
It is inferred that these cultural relics were carried as trophies by a Spanish ship after raiding the colony of Garrolinburg, and he had expressed the hope that GME could salvage these cultural relics.
However, within a few months, the French state filed a claim for the remains of these cultural relics, which were sunk in an American court, claiming that they came from Libo's flagship LaTrinité. [See photos of colonial sunken ships found at Cape Canaveral]
France won the support of Florida in its legal case, claiming that the sunken ship Sany was protected by American law, which prevented the unauthorized salvage of warships. The court has now accepted this argument.
Pritchett rejected the request of Life Science magazine to comment on the latest court ruling. It is not known whether GME will appeal the court's decision.
The ruling of the "KDSP" colonial conflict court was welcomed by the St. Augustine Lighthouse and maritime museum. The museum organized a maritime archaeological project, which was searched in the past, but it was unsuccessful. For the wreckage of the Lost Fleet in Libert, the museum and its marine archaeology program were partially funded by Florida, but they did not participate in this legal case.
According to the federal shipwreck act, the court ruled that France owns the wreckage and any sunken ships in the museum. In essence, it said in a statement, the ruling allowed Florida to cooperate with France to dig the sunken ship.
"This is the founding story of St. Augustine, the conflict between European powers on the first coast," said Kathy Fleming, executive director of the museum, which is the most important shipwreck found in Florida waters