Aircraft crashes in the UK and the Law ??

[Jon]

The MOD law in the UK states that to dig on any military aircraft wreck in Great Britain you require a license. This is due to the massive number of UK crashes some still containing ammunition and bombs and others obviously human remains.

Whilst we all i am sure agree with the reason for the license, it is a license to "dig" the wreck out in total and often will not be granted if human remains are thought to be present as the British military still have an affection for "combat" graves but........if you were simply walking over the crash site and found in a ploughed field on the surface a small part of alloy from the crash and you took it home...would you be open to being prosecuted ?.....are you breaking the law?

[rafcommands]

Hi Jon

The Protection of Military Remains Act is a civil statute law not a Military one.

It contains a defence for accidental discovery (but not if you go seeking the remains).

The guidance notes from MOD require declaration of all finds and the offence of the act is committed if this is not carried out.

So illegal if you go looking for the site and do not declare any finds recovered to MOD.

Illegal if you stumble across the site and do not declare any finds recovered to MOD.

Legal if you stumble across the site and declare any finds recovered and have a "gift in lue of salvage" letter subsequently issued by MOD.

Finds in British Coastal Waters need also to be declared to the Receiver of Wreck.

Ross

[Jon]

Hi Ross.


Thanks for the information.