Graf Spee Salvage Update

In February 2004 salvers were able to lift the armored rangefinder off the wreck, and it now sits in a park in Montevideo. After this accomplishment, little has been heard about the project. Salvers insist that it is a three-year long project, and that the entire ship will be raised, but at this point it would appear that efforts are being concentrated on raising the necessary funding, and work has yet to begin in earnest on the wreck.

November, 2004: Uruguayan millionaire banker and diver Hector Bado, the leader of the Graf Spee salvage operation, is also salvaging artifacts from the British 64-gun ship HMS Agamemnon, wrecked in the River Plate in 1809. This vessel was once commanded by Horatio Nelson, and was said to be his favorite vessel. Mr. Bado filed a lawsuit against the Uruguayan Government on November 8, for breach of contract in a dispute over the Agamemnon salvage, seeking damages totaling nearly $110 million US dollars. This dispute has no doubt also thrown a monkey wrench in to the Graf Spee project, and suspended the cooperation between the Uruguayan Government & Navy, and the salvers. Check back for updates...

UPDATE: In 2009 Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez signed a proclamation putting an end to all salvage operations on all wrecks inside of Uruguayan territorial waters. Given 90 days notice, the Graf Spee operation focused on recovering the eagle stern ornament, a secondary gun, and made an attempt at a main gun. Many smaller artifacts are now on display, and the ship's rangefinder and anchor have been restored and are displayed. There are various lawsuits involving breach of contract regarding the right to sell items recovered, and disputes over where and if the eagle stern ornament, with its swastika, will be displayed, sold, or returned to Germany.  

A lifting barge is positioned over the wreck.	A Reuters News photo of the rangefinder breaking the surface.	An AP photo of the rangefinder being loaded onto a barge.
Another AP photo of the rangefinder being loaded.	. New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff posses with the rangefinder. (AP)	Famous marine explorer Mansion Bound posses with the rangefinder after it is off-loaded.(AP)
The rangefinder is fenced off in Montevideo.
The other side of the rangefinder.
The rangefinder sits in a park at Montevideo, awaiting restoration.
The restored rangefinder
	The stern ornament is recovered.