Want some gold? Own a share of the Laurentic!

[big_si]

Just seen this report on the news this morning...

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Own your share of wartime gold


Own your share of wartime gold
By Freya McClements
BBC News

SS Laurentic
The SS Laurentic went down after it hit a German mine in Lough Swilly

Shipwrecks, gold bullion, and a chance of a share in buried treasure... no, it's not the Caribbean, but Lough Swilly in County Donegal.

The owners of a ship which sank in the lough in 1917 are to sell shares in the 20 gold bars which it is believed are still in the wreck.

The SS Laurentic was a passenger ship but during the First World War it was used by the British government to transport gold to pay for munitions.

The majority of the 43 tons of gold the ship was carrying when it sank have already been recovered, but the remaining bars are estimated to be worth £10m.

Ivan Irwin is a diver who has explored what remains of the SS Laurentic.

"The wreck would have been four to five stories when it was originally built, but now it's all sort of collapsed and its flat."

"It's been salvaged two or three times so it's in a fairly broken up state, but you never know, they're still there, so the chances of finding them... there's always possibilities," he said.

Historic value

From Tuesday, anyone interested in owning their own piece of buried treasure can purchase a share in the gold for only £49 - but don't start planning that early retirement just yet.

Even if the gold was recovered, said Mr Irwin, there's no guarantee of any profit.

"It's very hard to distinguish whether it would belong to the British government, to the family who owns the wreck, or to whoever found it.

"Maybe the thing to do if you did find some gold would be to sit on it for 100 years, when I think it becomes a ward of the state - maybe there's someone doing that, I don't know."

But, said Mr Irwin, owning a share of the shipwreck isn't about the financial reward.

"The shares are more a gesture, to own something of historic value that's sitting in Irish waters.

"I don't think there's actually any money in it, but we'll keep looking for the gold anyway," he said.

[nigelH]

I've dived it.

It's a collapsed heap of junk because the RN divers blew it to bits so they could rake down through the bits in Standard Dress. The only thing I remember clearly is that at 40 meters the swell was still rolling us about. That's the Atlantic for you...

[Midnight]

Even if the gold was recovered, said Mr Irwin, there's no guarantee of any profit.

Well apart from the smart arse who is going to collect £49 a time!!!?

It is a flat scrapheap, anything that can be found has been, unless they do a CSI type of search on it and remove everything and it was not even worth doing that when the original divers blew the crap out of it.

Regards,
Midnight

[buchhawk]

Well apart from the smart arse who is going to collect £49 a time!!!?

It is a flat scrapheap, anything that can be found has been, unless they do a CSI type of search on it and remove everything and it was not even worth doing that when the original divers blew the crap out of it.

Regards,
Midnight

But apart from all that, it's still a good dive

Ken

[Timbobaggins]

If you look at shipwrecks, shipwreck exploration, deep wrecks which is Leigh Bishops website, look under classic images and then Laurentic Bow.

Thats me that is.

I have one of Leighs Origionals in my Lounge.

That particular picture apeared in Diver, Beyond the Blue, and 990.

Autographs £49

[DIVE24-7]

Ray must need a few extra quid

[essexbloke]

If you look at shipwrecks, shipwreck exploration, deep wrecks which is Leigh Bishops website, look under classic images and then Laurentic Bow.

Thats me that is.

I have one of Leighs Origionals in my Lounge.

That particular picture apeared in Diver, Beyond the Blue, and 990.

Autographs £49

kiss arse

[Timbobaggins]

kiss arse

Mind you it is your rebreather i was testing thoroughly in the piccie

[essexbloke]

Mind you it is your rebreather i was testing thoroughly in the piccie

yes iknow good shot of MY unit from the rear as you wait for the boat
when was these taken?

[Timbobaggins]

yes iknow good shot of MY unit from the rear as you wait for the boat
when was these taken?

Urm 2002 i think, maybe 2003