SAN JOSE GALLEON WRECK PHOTOGRAPHED

Colombia's army has shared unprecedented images of the legendary San Jose galleon shipwreck, hidden underwater for three centuries and believed to have been carrying riches worth billions of dollars in today's money.

Four observation missions using a remotely operated vehicle were sent to the wreck at a depth of almost 950 meters (3,100 feet) off Colombia's Caribbean coast, the army said in a statement late Monday.

These missions, carried out by the navy under the supervision of the culture ministry, found the galleon untouched by "human intervention."

Cannons partially covered by mud are visible alongside porcelain crockery, pottery, glass bottles and also gold pieces.

A part of the bow can be clearly seen covered in algae and shellfish, as well as the remains of the frame of the hull.

 
Pieces of gold can be seen at the site of the shipwreck

Authorities said they had also discovered two more shipwrecks during their observation mission -- a colonial-era galleon and a schooner from the post-colonial period.

Colombia will face a challenge from Spain and an indigenous group in Bolivia to determine who keeps the bounty.

The San Jose galleon was owned by the Spanish crown when it was sunk by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708.

Before its discovery in 2015, it was long sought after by treasure hunters.

Experts believe it contains at least 200 tons of gold, silver and emeralds.

Colombia considers wrecks found in its territorial waters to be part of its cultural heritage, meaning the contents cannot be sold.

Spain insists that the bounty is theirs since it was aboard a Spanish ship, while Bolivia's Qhara Qhara nation says it should get the treasures as the Spanish forced the community's people to mine the precious metals.

Colombian authorities have announced their intention to create a museum of shipwrecks that would be "a source of pride for Colombia, the Caribbean and the world."

Recovering the wreck presents a technological and scientific challenge due to its depth.

Authorities have identified another 13 sites off the coast of Cartagena that they want to explore in search of other shipwrecks.

To read the complete article, see:
Colombia shares unprecedented images of treasure-laden wreck (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/colombia-shares-unprecedented-images-of-treasure-laden-wreck/ar-AAYbY4u)

To read the complete article, see:
Two Ships Found Near Spanish Galleon Full of Gold Worth $17 Billion (https://www.newsweek.com/two-ships-found-near-spanish-galleon-full-gold-worth-17-billion-1714432)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
SAN JOSE GALLEON FOUND: THE HOLY GRAIL OF SHIPWRECKS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n49a26.html)
SPAIN CLAIMS OWNERSHIP OF SAN JOSE GALLEON TREASURE (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n50a37.html)
COLOMBIA PLANS TO SALVAGE THE SAN JOSé (https://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n28a25.html)

 

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