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worked like a vacuum cleaner to lift materials from the bottom of
the ocean floor onto the deck of the ship. This ship was fully
equipped for salvage operations. It was equipped with cranes,
hydraulic devices, and diving equipment, as well as other heavy
equipment. This ship was obtained from North Sea Underwater
Services, Inc. (North Sea), on the recommendation of Mr. Tillman.
Petitioner negotiated directly with North Sea's president and
attorney in order to procure the ship for the Louisiana
operation.
Petitioner knew little about the Palamar beyond its general
description as a sunken Spanish galleon. The members of
International Recoveries showed petitioner maps showing
approximately 10 to 12 sites where galleons had sunk. Petitioner
read several books and magazine articles dealing with Spanish
galleons.
Petitioner spent only a day and a half on the Louisiana
expedition. He was unexpectedly forced to return to Tucson to
accompany his wife who had become seriously ill. However, during
the expedition, petitioner remained in contact with the group by
calling Mr. Saldivar for progress reports one to three times each
week. Petitioner also frequently contacted the captain of the
ship and Mr. Tillman to determine the progress of the operation.
This salvage operation lasted approximately 1 month. No treasure
or anything of value was recovered during the Louisiana
expedition.
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Last modified: May 25, 2011