An official of Cyprus’ law enforcement has announced that that a Norwegian national and U.S. national have both been fined 6,000 euros (around $6,730) each for searching for an old shipwreck off of its coast without legal basis.
The official, who spilled the details anonymously due to not being allowed to disclose case details in publicly has revealed that the arrest was made on the basis of a tip that the police received in February, which said that the men – a 44-year-old Norwegian and a 36-year-old American were illegally looking for the shipwreck. The men in question were arrested two charges – attempting to illegally search for antiquities without formal authorization, and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor.
Cyprus is no stranger to seafaring, having wreck searches made to as long as 5th Century BC. That being said, wreck searches today require going through proper bureaucratic channels and having the right paperwork before embarking on a search.
