A. J. Buckingham v. The Aircraft Hughes 500D Helicopter C-GPNN (The Southern Cross) - High Ct. in Adm. (Hardie Boys J.) - 23 February 1982

Sovereign immunity - Position of privately owned cargo in state “non trading” ship

In December 1981 the vessel Gotland II , chartered by the West German Government for the German Antarctic Expedition, became trapped by ice near Yule Bay and subsequently sank. In her hold she carried a Hughes 500D Helicopter C-GPNN. The plaintiff, who was a helicopter pilot, arranged for the helicopter to be winched up on to the Gotland ’s deck before she sank and flew it off to a place of safety. The plaintiff claimed a salvage reward of $165,000 and arrested the helicopter.