May 23, 2024 – 10:20 pm
Piece of the San Jose shipwreck cut from 2022 video – Photograph: Office of the President of Colombia via AFP
The Colombian government has announced the location of the sinking of the Spanish ship “San José” in the Caribbean Sea with its cargo of gold and priceless gems more than three hundred years ago, MTI reported. All this is interesting because the expedition is currently underway, the ultimate goal of which is to make discoveries, and this, given their enormous value, will likely lead to conflicts between the Spanish and Colombian governments.
“This is the first time that the protection of the deep underwater archaeological heritage area (600 meters) has been announced, and this is a historic act in Latin America,” said Culture Minister Juan David Correa, who presented the scientific expedition to the shipwreck on Wednesday. The first stage, local time, examined the artifact from the outside.
The British Navy sank one of the largest ships of the Spanish Armada on June 7, 1708, off the island of Rosario in southwestern Colombia, near Cartagena de Indias, the seat of the Bolívar Province. The galley transported gold, silver, and precious stones from the Spanish American colonies to the court of King Philip V.
Gold coins among the debris – Photo: Office of the President of Colombia via AFP
The current research, led by the Ministry of Defense and Culture and the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH), is tasked with surveying the shipwreck discovered in 2015. The Colombian military released previously unpublished images of the wreck in 2022, images taken during four previous reconnaissance missions.
The exact location of San Jose is kept secret to protect what has been described as one of the most important archaeological finds in history from pirates and other ill-intentioned treasure seekers.
However, since its localization, the shipwreck has been the subject of heated debate due to the cargo on board, which is believed to be worth several billion dollars. Spain claims ownership under a UNESCO convention, to which Colombia is not a party, and indigenous Bolivian residents claim the ship's treasures were taken from their lands. The government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro wants the valuable cargo carried by the shipwreck to remain in his country, to contribute to science and culture.
