Originally Posted By: thseng
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?