Does the "Sunken Military Craft Act" Prohibit WWII Wreck Penetration in US Waters?
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Seriously though, I frequently dive wrecks that were sunk during WWII and I have never heard of such a restriction. I compare visiting such wrecks to walking through a graveyard. So long as you act respectfully no one should really have a problem. I'm not about to go stealing headstones or digging up graves if you know what I mean. Penetration into said wrecks makes little difference in my mind. Safe diving!
LOL!
The list of places that charter captain has been and will never admit publicly, would give anyoone pause for reflection. Did he mention that law with a dose of sarcasm?
Eric
I was just told that it prevented penetration of US, German and Italian WWII military vessels in US waters. I did a bit of research and found wording that makes it illegal to "disturb" such a wreck. I'm not sure that swimming through would constitute "disturbing".
I did find a US Coast Guard "Policy" statement here- USCG: Frequently Asked Questions but I'm not sure if "policy" has the weight of law.
Wouldn't a swim through be the same as walking through the U-505 in Chicago?
The USCG response says clearly, you can not penetrate a wreck but then goes on to quote the Law of the Sea, a document that the United States has refused to ratify for thirty years. I revel in the overwhelming irony.
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Originally Posted by Max Speed
