Treasure hunter to salvage £2bn shipwreck

A treasure hunter has claimed salvage rights for a WWII-era shipwreck off the US Atlantic coast.

The wreck of the SS Port Nicholson, a British merchant ship which was sunk by a German U-boat in 1942, lies 50 miles out to sea and is believed to carry a cargo of platinum worth £2bn.

Greg Brooks, of Sub Sea Research, said he had delayed revealing the wreck’s existence until he had secured salvage rights, which took him four years.

While he is confident that underwater footage and US Treasury documents reveal the ship was carrying platinum, others are less convinced.

A British Government representative told the Associated Press the ship’s cargo was yet to be established and that it was most likely carrying machinery and military stores.

While Mr Brooks has salvage rights, ownership rights are yet to be settled.

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