Never-before-seen image of the San José shipwreck loaded with treasure

Recently, the Colombian military has released never-before-seen images of the legendary San José wreck that sank more than three centuries ago, believed to contain billions of dollars worth of treasure. 

The San José was sunk in 1708.

The Colombian Navy conducted four expeditions by sending a remote-controlled submersible to a depth of nearly 950 meters off the coast of the country, where the San José sank in 1708.

The results indicated that the boat was not affected by 'human intervention'. The cannons were covered in mud, along with crockery, glass bottles and gold coins still intact on the wreck. In addition, part of the bow and hull can be clearly seen, which has been invaded by algae and shellfish.

Colombian authorities say they have discovered two more shipwrecks during the San José's exploration mission: a large colonial-era schooner and a post-colonial schooner.

"Thanks to technological equipment and the efforts of the Colombian Navy, we have been able to capture images with a precision never seen before," said President Ivan Duque. He said that the wreck was kept intact for future salvage purposes. When that happens, though, Colombia will have to contend with Spain and a group of indigenous people in Bolivia.

On November 27, 2015, the Colombian Navy found the location of the San José shipwreck. From pictures taken on the seabed, archaeologists have determined this is the legendary ship San José thanks to dozens of bronze guns engraved with the characteristic dolphin image. The government has classified the location of the ancient ship as a form of state secret.

However, this large three-masted boat was once owned by the King of Spain Philip V when it was sunk by British Navy warships near the Colombian port city of Cartagena in 1708. Only a few of them 600 sailors survived. At that time, it was filled with precious wealth, estimated at 17 billion USD at current exchange rates. Before it was discovered in 2015, the San José was always the target of treasure hunters. Experts believe it contains at least 200 tons of gold, silver and emeralds.

Colombian law considers wrecks found in its territorial waters as part of its national cultural heritage, which means that the entire contents of the ship cannot be sold.

Meanwhile, Spain claims that this wealth belongs to them, while the indigenous group of Qhara Qhara in Bolivia claim to be the beneficiary of the treasure because the Spaniards forced their ancestors to declare it. extract them in the past.

When the wreck was discovered, then-Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hailed it as the most valuable treasure ever found in world history. He proposed to fund the San José boat restoration project by selling off a portion of the valuables.

President Ivan Duque later ordered the plan to be halted to ensure the wreck remained intact within Colombian territory. The authorities of this country have announced their intention to create a museum about the shipwreck to make it a pride for Colombia, the Caribbean and the world.