Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Colombian researchers confirm the identity of the Spanish warship San José, lost in 1708 with treasure worth up to $17 billion, using 3D analysis of underwater gold coins.
Researchers in Colombia have confirmed the identity of a shipwreck located off the coast of Barú Island near Cartagena as the Spanish galleon San José, which sank in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession.
The confirmation was achieved through the analysis of gold coins found at the site, using high-resolution underwater photography and 3D photogrammetry techniques.
The coins, known as cobs or macuquinas, were minted in Lima, Peru, in 1707 and bear the markings of Francisco de Hurtado, the chief assayer at the time.
They also display Spanish heraldic symbols, including the Jerusalem Cross and the Pillars of Hercules, as well as the motto "Plus Ultra."
The San José was a 64-gun, three-masted galleon of the Spanish Armada de la Guardia de la Carrera de las Indias.
It was transporting approximately 200 tons of gold, silver, and emeralds from South America to Spain when it was sunk by British forces near Cartagena.
Of the 600 men aboard, only 11 survived.
The wreck was initially discovered by the Colombian Navy in 2015 at a depth of 600 meters.
Since then, non-invasive methods, including the use of remotely operated underwater vehicles, have been employed to study the site.
The identification of the San José has reignited complex legal disputes over the ownership of the ship and its contents.
The Colombian government claims the wreck as part of its submerged patrimony, citing its location within Colombian territorial waters.
Spain asserts ownership based on the ship's status as a Spanish naval vessel, referencing the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which Colombia has not ratified.
The U.S.-based salvage company Sea Search Armada (SSA) claims to have discovered the wreck in the 1980s and is seeking a share of the treasure, estimated at up to $20 billion.
SSA has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Colombian government, which is currently under arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Additionally, indigenous groups from Bolivia, such as the Qhara Qhara nation, have laid claim to the treasure, arguing that their ancestors were forced to mine the precious metals found aboard the San José.
Colombian authorities have declared the wreck a protected archaeological site and plan to recover artifacts for display in a proposed museum in Cartagena.
The confirmation of the San José's identity marks a significant development in maritime archaeology and has intensified international debates over cultural heritage and historical ownership rights.
The confirmation was achieved through the analysis of gold coins found at the site, using high-resolution underwater photography and 3D photogrammetry techniques.
The coins, known as cobs or macuquinas, were minted in Lima, Peru, in 1707 and bear the markings of Francisco de Hurtado, the chief assayer at the time.
They also display Spanish heraldic symbols, including the Jerusalem Cross and the Pillars of Hercules, as well as the motto "Plus Ultra."
The San José was a 64-gun, three-masted galleon of the Spanish Armada de la Guardia de la Carrera de las Indias.
It was transporting approximately 200 tons of gold, silver, and emeralds from South America to Spain when it was sunk by British forces near Cartagena.
Of the 600 men aboard, only 11 survived.
The wreck was initially discovered by the Colombian Navy in 2015 at a depth of 600 meters.
Since then, non-invasive methods, including the use of remotely operated underwater vehicles, have been employed to study the site.
The identification of the San José has reignited complex legal disputes over the ownership of the ship and its contents.
The Colombian government claims the wreck as part of its submerged patrimony, citing its location within Colombian territorial waters.
Spain asserts ownership based on the ship's status as a Spanish naval vessel, referencing the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which Colombia has not ratified.
The U.S.-based salvage company Sea Search Armada (SSA) claims to have discovered the wreck in the 1980s and is seeking a share of the treasure, estimated at up to $20 billion.
SSA has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Colombian government, which is currently under arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Additionally, indigenous groups from Bolivia, such as the Qhara Qhara nation, have laid claim to the treasure, arguing that their ancestors were forced to mine the precious metals found aboard the San José.
Colombian authorities have declared the wreck a protected archaeological site and plan to recover artifacts for display in a proposed museum in Cartagena.
The confirmation of the San José's identity marks a significant development in maritime archaeology and has intensified international debates over cultural heritage and historical ownership rights.
