Brian McDonald
Colombia on Wednesday declared a “protected archaeological area” around the site where the legendary Galeão São José sank off the Caribbean coast more than three centuries ago loaded with gold, silver and emeralds it is believed to be worth billions of dollars.
The designation, said the Ministry of Culture“guarantees the protection of heritage” through “the long-term preservation of the ship and the development of research, conservation and valorization activities”.
Nicknamed “Holy Grail” of shipwrecksThe San Jose was owned by the Spanish crown when it was sunk by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708. Only a handful of its 600-man crew survived.
The galleon was returning from the New World to the court of King Philip V of Spain, carrying chests of emeralds and around 200 tons of gold coins.
Samuel Scott
Before Colombia announced the discovered in 2015the ship had long been sought after by adventurers.
The value of his reward was estimated at billions of dollars.
Culture Minister Juan David Correa insisted on Wednesday: “This is not a treasure, we do not treat it as such.”
He announced the area’s new designation at an event launching the first “non-intrusive” phase of scientific exploration of the wreck.
In February, Correa told AFP that a underwater robot would be sent to recover part of your reward.
Spain has claimed the ship and its contents under a UN convention to which Colombia is not a party, while indigenous Bolivian Qhara Qhara claim wealth was stolen from them.
But President Gustavo Petro’s government has insisted on lifting the wreckage for scientific and cultural purposes.
The Spanish and Qhara Qhara delegations were present at Wednesday’s event.
The wreck is also claimed by US-based salvage company Sea Search Armada – which insists it first found it more than 40 years ago and has taken Colombia to the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration, asking for $10 billion .
The exact location of the wreck is being kept secret to protect what is considered one of the greatest archaeological finds in the story of malicious treasure hunters.
In June 2022, Colombia said a remotely operated vehicle reached 900 meters below the ocean surface, showing new images of the wreckage.
The video showed the best view of the treasure that was aboard the San Jose – including gold ingots and coins, cannons made in Seville in 1655 and an intact Chinese dinner set.
At the time, Reuters reported that the remotely operated vehicle also discovered two other shipwrecks in the area, including a schooner believed to be from around two centuries ago.
