In February 2006, the muddy waters of the River Plate near Montevideo, Uruguay, surrendered a massive object that had remained hidden for nearly seven decades. A private salvage team battled zero visibility and strong currents to hoist a heavy, mud-caked structure from the riverbed.
As the crane lifted the artifact onto the barge and the water drained away, the crew found themselves staring at a pristine bronze eagle with its wings spread wide. This specific recovery operation brought a massive piece of World War II history back to the surface and immediately ignited a complex international dispute over ownership, preservation, and law.
The History of the Shipwreck
The origin of the object dates back to December 1939. The German “pocket battleship” Admiral Graf Spee patrolled the South Atlantic during the early months of the war. After the Battle of the River Plate against three British cruisers, the ship’s captain, Hans Langsdorff, sought refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo.
Faced with critical damage and believing a superior British force awaited him, Langsdorff ordered the ship scuttled. Explosives sent the vessel to the bottom of the estuary just 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the harbor. The ship burned for days and settled into the silt, where it remained a visible wreck for years before sinking deeper into the mud.
Recovering the Bronze Behemoth
Decades later, entrepreneur Alfredo Etchegaray led a team to salvage parts of the vessel. They utilized sonar technology to locate the stern of the ship where the stern ornament originally sat. The team secured heavy cables around the object in difficult conditions.
The artifact they pulled up weighed approximately 350 kilograms (770 pounds) and measured 2 meters (6.6 feet) in height with a wingspan of 2.8 meters (9.2 feet). The bronze bird gripped a wreath containing a swastika. The thick mud of the river had preserved the metal perfectly. The salvagers placed the object in a warehouse while the news of the discovery traveled globally.
The Legal Battle for Ownership
The recovery triggered an immediate legal confrontation between the salvage team and the Uruguayan state. The private group claimed they had a contract granting them fifty percent of the profit from any sale. The German government also intervened and requested that the object not end up on the open market or in the hands of private collectors.
The bronze eagle moved to a secure naval facility. It remained inside a wooden crate under armed guard. A court ruling in 2019 ordered the Uruguayan government to sell the piece and share the proceeds with the salvagers. However, the state delayed the auction due to the sensitive nature of the item.
Recent Developments and Decisions
The fate of the bronze eagle faced another turn in June 2023. Uruguay’s President Luis Lacalle Pou announced a plan to melt the artifact down. He proposed hiring a local artist to recast the bronze into the shape of a dove. This announcement caused an immediate reaction from cultural heritage experts and the salvage team.
They argued that destroying a historical document was incorrect regardless of its origin. Within two days of the announcement, the President reversed his decision. He accepted that an overwhelming number of people disagreed with the proposal. The 350-kilogram (770-pound) eagle remains in custody in Montevideo while authorities determine its final destination.
In 2006, divers in Uruguay fought zero visibility to pull a massive secret from the mud.
It wasn't gold, but a 770-lb (350 kg) bronze eagle from the WWII battleship Graf Spee.
The recovery of this 9-foot beast sparked an international battle that continues today…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/6LGR6u7f2x
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) December 27, 2025