Cap. 445 Art. 44Declaration of Underwater Cultural Heritage.

(1) The Superintendent may, by a notice in the Gazette, declare remains found on the seabed that are situated in the territorial waters of Malta and are at least fifty years old as Underwater Cultural

Heritage.

(2) Whenever the Superintendent is of the opinion that the remains that are situated in the territorial waters are of cultural and historic significance, the Superintendent may, by notice in the Gazette, declare those remains to be a historic shipwreck, aircraft and, or an underwater archaeological site.

(3) Where the Superintendent is of the opinion that a particular object associated with a ship, aircraft or archaeological site situated in the territorial waters is of historic significance, the Superintendent may, by notice published in the Gazette, declare the object to be a historic object.

(4) The Superintendent may make a declaration under sub-articles (2) and (3) in relation to any part of the remains of a ship, aircraft or underwater archaeological site, or in relation to any object situated in or that has been removed from the territorial waters.

(5) When a declaration has been made in accordance with this article in relation to the remains of a ship, aircraft or any other underwater archaeological site or an object situated in the territorial waters and after such declaration is issued, any part of those remains or that object is removed from the territorial waters, the declaration will continue to apply, subject to any amendment or revocation of the declaration, in relation to that part of those remains or in relation to that object notwithstanding its removal from those waters.