Merchant Shipping Act 1995

246 Interfering with wrecked vessel or wreck

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, a person commits an offence if, without the permission of the master, he boards or attempts to board any vessel which is wrecked, stranded or in distress.

(2) No offence is committed under subsection (1) above if the person is the receiver or a person lawfully acting as the receiver or if he acts by command of the receiver or a person so acting.

(3) A person commits an offence if—

(a) he impedes or hinders or attempts to impede or hinder the saving of—

(i) any vessel stranded or in danger of being stranded, or otherwise in distress, on or near any coast or tidal water; or

(ii) any part of the cargo or equipment of any such vessel; or

(iii) any wreck;

(b) he conceals any wreck;

(c) he defaces or obliterates any mark on a vessel; or

(d) he wrongfully carries away or removes—

(i) any part of any vessel stranded or in danger of being stranded, or otherwise in distress, on or near any coast or tidal water;

(ii) any part of the cargo or equipment of any such vessel; or

(iii) any wreck.

(4) The master of a vessel may forcibly repel any person committing or attempting to commit an offence under subsection (1) above.

(5) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction—

(a) in the case of an offence under subsection (1) above, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale;

(b) in the case of an offence under subsection (3) above, to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.