A Spanish ship that was sunk by the British more than 300 years ago was found off the coast of Colombia. The ship was carrying treasure worth $17 billion. The ship was said to have gold, silver, coins and other gems.
Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, recently announced the discovery of the sunken ship that contains the most valuable haul found in the seabed.
"Finding the #GaleonSanJose marks a historic milestone for our underwater cultural patrimony," Santos said on his Twitter with a video of the search team at sea.
The Colombian government is planning to build a museum where all the artifacts found in the 300 years old ship will be displayed. All the gold, coins, silvers, emeralds, gems, jewelry as well as the personal wealth of the viceroy of Peru worth $17billion will be preserved and displayed in a museum.
According to CNN, the sunken ship known as San Jose has been carrying gold, gems, and silver which were collected in the South American colonies. The said treasure will be shipped to the King of Spain to finance the war against the British. Unfortunately, the ship carrying those treasures sunk in June 1708 when it was attacked by a British warship outside Cartagena.
In 1981, the American-based salvage company, Sea Search Armada revealed the exact area where the ship sank. The ship's treasure ownership, on the other hand, has been subjected to a long-running legal dispute.
As for the proceeds, the British government agreed to split it. However, it was later decided that the treasure would belong to Colombia. The Supreme Court recently declared the rights of Colombia to hold the items considered as the National Cultural Patrimony.
In addition to the updates about the 300 years old Spanish Galleon, images show the bronze cannon which was specifically made for the ship, ceramics, arms, and other artifacts. The sunken ship is 150ft long with a beam of 45ft armed with 64 guns.
Some historical clues revealed that there were 600 people who were in the vessel when it was hit by the British warship and exploded. The wreck would be deemed as an underwater cultural heritage site. The government will ensure preservation on the area through archeological excavation and scientific tests.
