The 'Indiana Jones of the deep' warns of a race against time as shipwreck looters take advantage of technological advancements. Mensun Bound, a renowned maritime archaeologist, has discovered Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance in the depths of the ocean, but his work is now threatened by the very technology that enables it. Bound, who found the Endurance three years ago at 10,000 feet deep, fears that 'rogue organizations' are exploiting new underwater vehicles and excavation techniques to loot shipwrecks. He shares his concerns at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, stating, 'It seems to me that my life has been a race against looters and plunderers.'
Bound's mission to explore and preserve shipwrecks has been challenging. He has made difficult decisions about which wrecks to survey, haunted by the memory of one he initially rejected, only to find it plundered years later. The archaeologist expresses regret for turning his back on Roman shipwrecks in his youth, realizing their archaeological significance only later. The deepest known shipwreck, the USS Samuel B Roberts, is also at risk of being explored and potentially plundered by future expeditions.
The issue of ownership and salvage rights adds another layer of complexity. The San José, a Spanish galleon with an estimated $17 billion in treasure, is currently in a legal dispute over its ownership. Technological advancements have made its retrieval possible, but legal battles over ownership and the involvement of various parties complicate the process. Bound and his colleagues must navigate these challenges to protect the maritime heritage and ensure that the treasures of the deep are preserved for future generations.
