BOGOTA – Navy Colombia released a number of photos of the San Jose shipwreck containing treasure around USD 17 billion or equivalent to Rp. 252.2 trillion. The San Jose was a Spanish warship that was sunk by British gunboats during a naval battle in 1708.
New photos released on June 6, 2022 show the wreck still in fairly well-preserved condition on the seabed. The Colombian Navy also found two other historic shipwrecks in the same area.
The Colombian Navy used a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to inspect the wreck. The location of the San Jose wreck is still a secret to deter treasure hunters.
Read also; Windfall, Colombia Finds 2 Shipwrecks while Searching for the San Jose Galleon Gold Treasure
A spokesman for the Colombian Navy said photos could be seen of cannons, coins and gold bars lying on the seabed. Includes a set of porcelain tableware in perfect condition. The discovery, which is still in fairly good condition, facilitates the search for written evidence or inscriptions on these objects.
“With the discovery of inscriptions, it was possible to pinpoint the location of the ship’s cannon: in Seville and Cádiz, in 1655. You can also see various gold objects, including ‘macuquinas’ [sejenis koin] and the date of manufacture,” said Admiral Jose Joaquin Amezquita, Director General of Maritime Affairs of the Colombian Navy, quoted by SINDOnews from the Live Science page, Thursday (16/6/2022).
Experts think that the wreck and its artifacts may be well preserved because the San Jose ship sank in fairly deep water, about 600 meters, far out of reach of the sun. Even though it has been submerged for more than 300 years, its condition is still relatively good.
Read also; Save 200 Tons of Gold and Gems Treasure, San Jose Shipwreck Becomes 3 Countries
Naval experts also found two other shipwrecks on the seabed nearby. One of the ships is from the colonial period (from the arrival of the Spanish circa 1525 to the early 1800s) and the other is a schooner about 200 years old. The origins of the two ships are unknown.
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