Flotsam, Jetsam, Lagan, and Derelict

In salvage law, flotsam refers to goods that are floating on the water, typically after a shipwreck. Jetsam consists of items deliberately thrown overboard to lighten a ship in distress. Lagan describes goods that are sunk but marked with buoys or other indicators for future recovery. Derelict refers to abandoned ships or property without an owner, often left adrift. Each term delineates different statuses of lost or abandoned property at sea and affects rights of salvagers regarding ownership claims and rewards for recovery efforts.