I seem to recall from somewhere that one reason the captain goes down with the ship is in case the ship doesn't actually go down - with no one on board the ship and its cargo would be fair game for salvage.
I have heard that, too, although I briefly heard something about the Concordia situation being different in terms of salvage rights. Perhaps something about the rules being different with an Italian-flagged vessel in Italian waters.
Actually, would the whole ship be considered a crime scene or evidence now?
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