The Case of Sicily: Why the cash wasn’t just ordinary flotsam
On 28 and 29 July 2026, bathers on Casuzze beach near Marina di Ragusa in Sicily collected numerous bundles of cash that were floating in the sea. According to consistent media reports, a motorboat around six metres long, registered in Malta, had previously run aground off the coast due to a lack of fuel. As the Italian coastguard approached, the people remaining on board are said to have thrown several bundles of cash into the water. Estimates of the exact sum vary; Italian news agencies reported around 665,000 euros, whilst other reports put the figure at up to 750,000 euros. The police, the Carabinieri and the financial police cordoned off the stretch of beach and seized both the money and the boat; three adults were arrested.
Unlike with ordinary flotsam, the standard law on found property does not apply here. Cash derived from an alleged criminal offence is regarded as evidence or as potential proceeds of crime and is therefore seized under criminal procedure rather than dealt with under civil law. Anyone who appropriates any of it may themselves be liable to prosecution. The investigation into the origin of the money is ongoing; the Italian authorities are examining, amongst other things, a possible link to money laundering.
The most important rules in Germany
- Flotsam remains the property of the losing party; it only becomes ownerless if there is a clear intention to relinquish it (Section 959 of the German Civil Code (BGB)).
- Finds from 10 euros must be reported immediately to the police or the lost property office (Section 965 of the German Civil Code (BGB)).
- After 6 months If the owner does not come forward, the finder acquires ownership, subject to a finder’s fee of 5 or 3 per cent (Sections 971 and 973 of the German Civil Code (BGB)).
- For yachts The same applies here: simply abandoning the property is not enough; recovery only entitles the finder to a finder’s fee, not to ownership (sections 574 et seq. of the German Commercial Code (HGB)).
- Cash Property of suspected criminal origin is not subject to the law on found property, but is seized under criminal law.
Beach flotsam in Germany: Why finders aren’t allowed to simply keep it
In normal circumstances – that is, in the case of ordinary flotsam not linked to any criminal offence – Germany has not had a specific law on flotsam since 1990. Until then, the Prussian Flotsam Ordinance governed the matter separately; since its repeal, flotsam has been governed entirely by the general law on found property under the § 965 et seq. of the German Civil Code (BGB). The common misconception that property washed ashore is automatically ownerless is incorrect. An item only becomes ownerless when the former owner has relinquished possession with a clear intention to do so. A container that goes overboard during a storm, or jewellery that someone loses whilst swimming, therefore remains, in legal terms, lost property, not ownerless property.
Anyone who finds such lost property must report it immediately to the person who lost it, the owner or, if these are unknown, to the relevant authority – usually the police, the local council or the lost property office. Only so-called ‘minor finds’ worth less than 10 euros are exempt from the obligation to report them. If a rightful claimant comes forward, the finder receives a graduated finder’s fee. If no one comes forward, the finder acquires ownership after six months, although the original owner theoretically retains a right to reclaim the item.
Ghost ships: At what point is a yacht considered abandoned?
The same principle applies to stranded yachts or those adrift without a crew. An owner who abandons their vessel at sea does not automatically lose ownership of it. As explained in our special article on the subject Ghost ships As explained, this would require not only the mere relinquishment of possession but also a clearly discernible intention to relinquish ownership. If, on the other hand, the owner hopes to recover their boat at a later date, a finder may not simply take possession of it. Furthermore, for the purposes of legal assessment, it makes no difference whether the yacht is adrift at sea or has already run aground on the coast.
Even someone who expressly relinquishes ownership of their property may still be liable under certain circumstances. If another vessel collides with an abandoned yacht, the former owner is liable for any resulting damage as the party responsible for creating the dangerous situation, because it was precisely the condition in which the yacht was left that caused the danger. This applies even if the former owner has clearly stated their intention to relinquish ownership.
Salvage rather than ownership: What you need to know when towing someone else’s yacht
Unless it is clearly established that a yacht has been abandoned, salvage operations are not governed by the law of discovery but by the law of salvage under maritime commercial law. Anyone who salvages a ship in distress or an unmanned vessel does not automatically become the owner, but acquires a claim to a salvage reward. The amount is determined by a set of criteria including the value of the salvaged vessel, the degree of danger, the effort involved and the equipment used by the salvor, as our Article on towing assistance and recovery describes.
Anyone who breaks down and needs to be towed should under no circumstances negotiate the amount of a recovery fee or sign any agreements themselves, but should contact their own insurer immediately. Even handing over a tow rope in an emergency may constitute a recovery situation, as our Article on towing explains. Only once it has been established beyond doubt that a yacht is ownerless may the finder actually take possession of it, and in that case without any waiting period.
Internationally, the regulations differ, in some cases significantly. In the United Kingdom, the Receiver of Wreck All wrecks found in British waters; owners have one year to prove their ownership, after which unclaimed property passes to the Crown rather than to the finder. In the Netherlands, responsibility traditionally lies with the mayor of the relevant coastal municipality. Anyone travelling abroad should, if in doubt, enquire with the local port or coastal authority before assuming that the item has been permanently abandoned.
An overview of international rules on flotsam and wreck salvage
| Country | Competent authority | Registration deadline | Waiting period until ownership is acquired | Distinctive feature |
| Germany | Lost Property Office, Water Police, Local Council | without delay (small finds worth less than €10 do not need to be reported) | 6 months (Section 973 of the German Civil Code (BGB)) | Since 1990, there has been no longer any specific right to the beach; the general law on found property applies |
| United Kingdom | Receiver of Wreckage | 28 days | 1 year, after which any unclaimed goods revert to the Crown | If unclaimed, the found property goes to the state, not to the finder |
| Netherlands | Beach warden (usually the mayor of the coastal municipality) | without delay | Regulated by law: sale in the event of non-collection | A separate department since the 1931 Beach Landing Act |
| Denmark | Beach warden (Strandvogt), police, customs | without delay | 2 months from the date of discovery, provided the object is found a certain distance from the coast | Strandfoged has the exclusive right to salvage loose cargo and wrecks |
| Sweden | Police, County Administrative Board, Maritime Administration | without delay | Regulations vary depending on the type of find | Shipwrecks over 100 years old are regarded as cultural monuments and belong to the state |
| Poland | Maritime Authority (Urząd Morski) | without delay | No specific procedure for the discovery of shipwrecks; heritage protection applies to previously discovered finds | No equivalent to ‘Receiver of Wreck’; focus on maritime safety |
| Belgium | Maritime Police, Maritime Inspection, Customs | without delay | historically, one year until it became state property | Wrecks over 100 years old are automatically protected as cultural heritage |
| France | Administrator of Maritime Affairs | without delay | 3 months until the sale by the authorities | The authority has far-reaching powers, including the power to seize property |
| Italy | Capitaneria di Porto (Port Authority) | 3 days | 6 months until ownership is transferred to the state | Reward: 1/3 of the value if found at sea, 1/20 if found on the beach |
| Spain | Maritime Authority | 24 hours | 6 months | Publication in the BOE is mandatory for higher values |
| USA | Depending on the state, Admiralty Courts deal with shipwrecks | no standard deadline applicable across the country | subject to proof of relinquishment of ownership | Distinction between salvage law and the law of discovery; the Abandoned Shipwreck Act 1987 for historic wrecks |
Please note: Deadlines and responsibilities may change as a result of amendments to national legislation; in individual cases, the relevant local authority should be contacted.
Is it true that a yacht owner remains liable for collision damage after leaving their yacht, even though they have deliberately abandoned the vessel? Join the discussion.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital