Skippers should be particularly cautious if the find appears unusual, comes from a boat or may be linked to a criminal offence.
Cash on the beach: the discovery at Marina di Ragusa
At the end of July 2026, bundles of cash washed up on the Sicilian coast caused a stir. On 28 and 29 July, beachgoers found several bundles of cash on Casuzze beach near Marina di Ragusa.
According to reports so far, a motorboat about six metres long, flying the Maltese flag, is said to have run out of fuel and come to a standstill off the coast. As the Italian coastguard approached, people on board are said to have thrown bundles of cash into the sea.
There are conflicting reports regarding the amount of money involved. Italian news agencies reported a figure of around 665,000 euros, whilst other media outlets cited a sum of up to 750,000 euros. Three adults were arrested.
The money was seized by the authorities. As well as investigating the origin of the sum, they are also looking into whether there is any link to money laundering. For the people who found it on the beach, this meant they were not allowed to simply take the bundles of cash, divide them up or spend them.
Why finders do not always become owners
Under German law, lost property remains the property of its previous owner for the time being. This applies even if it has been carried to another location by the wind, waves or a marine accident.
An item does not become ownerless simply because it:
- floating in the water,
- is situated on a beach,
- comes from a container,
- comes from a damaged boat,
- It appears not to have been collected for quite some time.
The crucial factor is whether the owner actually intended to relinquish possession. A lost item and an item deliberately abandoned are not the same thing in legal terms.
For motorboat owners, this means that even a canister, a wallet or a piece of boat equipment that has washed ashore must not automatically be kept.
What to do if you find something
Anyone who finds someone else’s property and is unable to identify the owner immediately must, as a general rule, report the find. Depending on where it was found and the circumstances, the following organisations may be contacted:
- Lost Property Office,
- Police,
- Water Police,
- Coastguard,
- Port Authority,
- Parish.
If an item is found in the water, you should also check whether it poses a danger to shipping. If an object is floating in a shipping channel, it may be more important to notify the relevant maritime authority immediately than to take it to the lost property office.
It is best for finders to note down the following details:
- exact position,
- Date and time,
- Weather and sea conditions,
- Condition of the item,
- possible origin,
- Photos taken from a safe distance,
- Names of witnesses.
The object should only be moved as far as is necessary to avert danger.
Take particular care with money and suspicious parcels
A single banknote floating in the harbour basin may simply be a normal find. Larger amounts of cash or conspicuously wrapped parcels, on the other hand, should always be reported to the police.
This applies in particular to:
- vacuum-packed bundles of banknotes,
- waterproof bags,
- several identical parcels,
Finders should not open, count, repackage or distribute such items amongst several people. Doing so may alter any potential evidence. Furthermore, their own actions may later give rise to suspicion that they were involved in a cover-up or embezzlement.
An abandoned motor yacht is not a free prize
Even a motorboat adrift must not simply be taken. The fact that there is no crew on board does not necessarily mean that the owner has abandoned the vessel.
Anyone who spots a boat like this should therefore not board it without permission, start the engine or take any personal belongings with them. The correct authorities to contact are the Coastguard, the Water Police or the Port Authority.
Only if the owner has unequivocally abandoned the boat can the ownership situation be assessed differently. However, such an intention must be clearly discernible and, in practice, can rarely be established beyond doubt.
Towing, rescue or recovery?
If a motorboat gets into difficulty, other skippers often come to the rescue initially by using a towline. Legally, however, this can amount to more than a mere act of goodwill.
A rescue operation is particularly likely to be required if:
- the stricken vessel is in immediate danger,
- People need to be rescued,
- there is a risk of a collision,
- as providing this assistance requires a considerable amount of time and effort,
- the rescue boat itself is taking a risk,
- special equipment is used.
A successful salvage operation may give rise to a claim for a salvage reward. The amount depends, amongst other things, on the value of the vessel salvaged, the risk involved and the extent of the assistance provided.
It is important to note that towing a boat does not automatically make you its owner. Conversely, the owner of a boat in distress should not make rash promises of substantial compensation in an emergency.
You can find further information on this topic in the articles Towing assistance or recovery: What’s the difference? and Towing on the water.
What happens if a boat has actually been abandoned?
Even a clear relinquishment of ownership does not automatically end all liability. An abandoned boat may still pose a hazard.
If a yacht drifts into a navigation channel and collides with another vessel, the previous owner may, under certain circumstances, be liable for the damage caused. The issues of ownership and liability must therefore be considered separately.
In the case of other vessels, the following applies: a drifting or stranded yacht should be reported to the relevant authority if it poses a danger to shipping. Attempting to salvage it without authorisation, on the other hand, may give rise to additional legal and insurance-related problems.
Differences between Germany and other countries
The regulations governing flotsam, wrecks and salvage operations are not standardised internationally. Anyone travelling by motorboat from Germany to other countries should observe the local regulations.
| Country | Competent authority | Distinctive feature |
| Germany | Lost Property Office, Police, Water Police or local council | Lost property must always be reported |
| United Kingdom | Receiver of Wreckage | Wreckage must generally be reported within 28 days |
| Netherlands | Beach warden or mayor of the coastal municipality | Special administrative rules apply to flotsam |
| Denmark | Beach warden, police or customs | Jurisdiction depends on where the find was made and the nature of the find |
| Sweden | The police, the County Administrative Board or the Swedish Maritime Administration | Historic shipwrecks may be listed as historic monuments |
| France | Competent maritime authorities | Found items may be seized or disposed of |
| Italy | Port Authority | Any finds should be reported to the local maritime authority |
| Spain | Maritime Authority | Special reporting procedures apply to valuable finds |
| USA | Depending on the state and the case, Admiralty Courts | A distinction is made between salvage law and the law on found property |
Checklist for skippers
If you spot anything unusual on the water or along the coast, the best course of action is as follows:
- Check whether there is a risk to people or to shipping.
- Make a note of the location, time and circumstances of the discovery.
- Take a photograph of the object without touching it unnecessarily.
- Please notify the police, the coastguard, the water police or the port authority.
- Do not take possession of a motorboat that appears to have been abandoned without authorisation.
- Please document every instance of assistance provided and every towing operation.
- Please contact your insurer as soon as possible.
- Please await instructions from the relevant authorities.
Conclusion
An item found in the water may be harmless, but this is not necessarily the case. The rules governing the right to find property apply to ordinary flotsam. In the case of large sums of cash, conspicuous parcels or items that may be linked to criminal activity, finders should contact the police or the coastguard immediately.
Even a motor yacht that appears to have been abandoned must not simply be taken over. Anyone who comes to the aid of another in an emergency may, under certain circumstances, claim a reward for the rescue, but this does not automatically confer ownership of the rescued boat.
The safest rule is:
Do not keep anything that is not clearly abandoned. Record where you found it, avoid any danger and inform the relevant authority.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The specific circumstances and the regulations of the relevant country are always decisive.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital