If a vessel or other property that has been captured by a force hostile to the United States is recaptured, and the court believes that the property had not been condemned as prize by competent authority before its recapture, the court shall award an appropriate sum as salvage.

If the recaptured property belonged to the United States, it shall be restored to the United States, and costs and expenses ordered to be paid by the court shall be paid from the Treasury.

If the recaptured property belonged to any person residing within or under the protection of the United States, the court shall restore the property to its owner upon his claim and on payment of such sum as the court may award as salvage, costs, and expenses.

If the recaptured property belonged to any person permanently residing within the territory and under the protection of any foreign government in amity with the United States, and, by the law or usage of that government, the property of a citizen of the United States would be restored under like circumstances of recapture, the court shall, upon the owner’s claim, restore the property to him under such terms as the law or usage of that government would require of a citizen of the United States under like circumstances. If no such law or usage is known, the property shall be restored upon the payment of such salvage, costs, and expenses as the court orders.

Amounts awarded as salvage under this section shall be paid to the United States.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 481, § 7672; renumbered § 8872, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(9), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1837.)