Spain scrabbles for golden links

Spain risked a diplomatic incident yesterday when police boarded an American treasure-hunter's ship as it sailed from Gibraltar in a tug of war over who profits from the discovery of $648 of sunken treasure.

The American's survey ship was boarded in international waters as the Spanish searched for clues to the origin of bars of gold and 500,000 silver coins found by Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Spain claims the treasure comes from a Spanish galleon sunk in Spanish waters.

Odyssey says the treasure was found in the Atlantic and has refused to name the wreck.

The treasure was flown to the company's American base in May.