Prinzipell gehören die Schiffe den Flaggenstaat, geregelt im
International Convention on Salvage von 1989 (Archiv-Version vom 11.05.2017), bei den britischen Schiffen greift zusätzlich der
Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Indonesien verurteilt jenes illegales Abwracken, betont aber das sie nie offiziell um Schutz der Liegeplätze gebeten wurde, mittlerweile wird mit den Niederlanden, USA und UK verhandelt wie man in Zukunft vorgehen wird.
Java Sea: Dutch, British and U.S. WW II Shipwrecks destroyed by Illegal ScavengingAs there is no agreement or announcement, when the ships go missing, it is not our responsibility'. In a response Indonesia's Navy said 'the ships should not have been disturbed, but it was not our responsibility to protect them. The Navy cannot monitor all areas all the time'. But following a meeting on 23 November with the Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte stated that Jakarta agreed to cooperate with The Netherlands in getting to the bottom of the mystery.Wrecks are considered the property of the Flag State in which they were registered. Under this convention it is illegal to remove scrap without official permission. https://www.peacepalacelibrary.nl/2016/12/java-sea-dutch-british-and-u-s-ww-ii-shipwrecks-destroyed-by-illegal-scavenging/?lang=fr2015 wurden mehrere Vietnamesen beim Abwracken von der malaysischen Marine festgenommen, dort werden die Wracks wohl vom National Heritage Act 2005 geschützt.Cases involving arrests for theft in Malaysian waters:Nov 27 last year, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s KD Perkasa, which was returning to the Tanjung Gelang naval base after a patrol exercise, spotted a foreign vessel near the HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales wreckage sites. March 29 this year, the navy’s KD Pahang patrol vessel trailed two trawlers, one of which was flying a Malaysian flag, and fired warning shots before arresting 13 crewmen on board the trawlers.Aug 22 this year, a group of Vietnamese crewmen was caught red-handed for diving near sunken wrecks to salvage scrap metal.http://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/10/need-gazette-wreck-sitesDiplomatische Verwicklungen gab es auch 2013 zw. Australien und Indonesien:
HMAS Perth: WWII warship grave stripped by salvagersUK Parlamentsanfrage zu den Wracks in Malaysien:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-30/212659/Und vor Jütland sind britsche und deutsche Schiffe aus dem I.WK betroffen:
Battle of Jutland war graves 'vandalised' by illegal metal scavengers
