Preservation of sunken British warship urged by UN cultural agency

On 06/02/2009
In Famous Wrecks
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From U.N News center

The head of the United Nations cultural agency today called for the preservation of a British man o’war sent to the bottom of the English Channel by a storm in 1744 with all hands and, it is said, a sizeable gold treasure.

The discovery of the wreck of the HMS Victory was announced on 2 February by the explorers who found it off the Channel Islands, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

“I am delighted that such an exceptional example of underwater heritage has been located. The cultural and scientific value of this artefact is considerable,” said Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO’s Director-General.

He said that its preservation was particularly important in light of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which entered into force last month after it was ratified by 22 States.

“In the spirit of the Convention adopted by UNESCO in 2001, I trust that all parties concerned will take the necessary measures to ensure this important vestige of British naval history is safeguarded and given appropriate attention, not used for commercial gain,” he said.