Two new shipwrecks found near San Jose Galleon filled with Gold worth $17 billion: Report

Two new shipwrecks were discovered near the famous San Jose galleon, a shipwreck that is centuries old, discovered in 2015. It has now been reported that the two new shipwrecks are laden with gold worth $17 billion (Rs 1700 crores).

The 62-gun three-masted galleon 'San Jose' was sunk by the British in 1708 off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, killing 600 onboard at the time of the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714). San Jose was owned by King Philip V of Spain and it sank near Cartagena in 1708 while battling the British navy.

In 2015, Colombian Navy discovered the San Jose galleon. The Colombian government recently released new footages of the shipwreck. 

"The idea is to recover it [the valuables] and to have sustainable financing mechanisms for future extractions," Colombian President Ivan Duque said. "In this way we protect the treasure, the patrimony of the San Jose galleon."

Colombian Navy vehicle sailed to a depth of 3,100 feet to find treasure

In the footages shared by the Colombian Navy, a remote controlled vehicle inspects the remains of a colonial boat and a schooner dated over 200 years. There are two vessels that sunk to a depth of 3,100 feet off the Caribbean coast. In the visuals from the seabed, one can see the treasure, gold coins, pottery and porcelain cups scattered near the ship's ruins. It consists of other valuables like gold, silver, emeralds as well as expensive objects dating back to Spain’s colonial empire.

Treasure hunters have conducted expeditions for years, including the Americans, with the permission of Colombian government since 1980s to look for the famous shipwreck. A remotely operated vehicle of the Colombian Navy sailed to a depth of 3,100 feet off the country's Caribbean coast where it discovered the treasure. 

The search operation was launched by members of the Shipwrecked Antiquities Commission and the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, ICANH, and members of the Ministry of Culture, Columbia government, the Columbian Navy informed in a release.

"A rigorous process of strengthening and acquiring technical capacities was necessary with the use of a remotely operated vehicle - ROV and the skills of an interdisciplinary group of Colombian specialists, with high safety standards and best practices in protection of this type submerged archaeological contexts," it said.