Since sunken U.S. Navy vessels are federal property, according to U.S. Code (18 U.S.C. 641), technically no portion of a government wreck may be disturbed or removed, and any unauthorized removal of any property from a U.S. Navy wreck is illegal.
rightfully so as any fallen service personnel is a hero in my book
It's not a US ship in the article so it wouldn't apply in this case but we would have something similar