The salvage firm which recovered treasure with an estimated value of ?253 million from a shipwreck off Scilly has been accused of whisking its haul back to the United States to stop the UK staking a claim.
The Daily Mail newspaper said the US firm Odyssey Marine Exploration worked on the wreck of the English ship in a highly secret operation then carefully avoided landing their treasure on British soil.
The vessel is thought to be the 17th century Merchant Royal, which sank off the Islands in 1641 with the loss of 18 lives.
Landing the treasure in the UK would have meant having to inform the Government’s Receiver of Wreck.
This would likely have lead to it being impounded and caused a legal wrangle over ownership rights.
Instead, some 500,000 gold and silver coins were secretly moved to the tax haven of Gibraltar before being flown to Florida, where they are being examined by experts.
A spokesman for the Receiver of Wreck confirmed they were not told of any large treasure hoard being landed in the UK.
Under salvage law, Odyssey could get up to 90% of the loot’s value, depending on whether other claimants come forward.
With the treasure now in the US, it is unlikely that Britain will seek a share.
But as the cargo originally belonged to Spain, experts believe its government may have a case.
Descendants of ship’s captain John Limbrey are already reportedly making inquiries about his personal fortune, thought to have been lost when the ship sank.
Shipwreck expert Richard Larn, who lives on St Mary’s, said he spoke to Odyssey co-founder Greg Stemm about the Merchant Royal in two years ago.
“He admitted that he was looking for the ship but wouldn’t say where he thought she was,? he told the Daily Mail.
“Basically, his ships have been mowing up and down the ocean around the Isles of Scilly for two years.?
Although Odyssey said the haul was discovered in international water 40 miles off Land’s End, some experts believe it could have been more like 25 miles.