Colombian army has released never-before-seen photographs of the famous San Jose galleon wreckage, which has been concealed below for three centuries and is thought to have carried treasure worth billions of dollars.
The army said in a statement late Monday that four observation missions using a remotely controlled vehicle were deployed to the disaster at a depth of roughly 950 metres (3,100 feet) off Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
The galleon was determined to be unaffected by ‘human intervention’ throughout these trips, which were carried out by the navy under the supervision of the cultural ministry.
Cannons, porcelain dinnerware, pottery, glass bottles, and gold coins are all visible among the mud-covered cannons. A section of the bow, as well as the remains of the hull’s structure, are clearly visible, coated in algae and mussels.
According to authorities, during their inspection expedition, authorities discovered two more shipwrecks: a colonial-era galleon and a post-colonial schooner. ‘Thanks to the technological equipment and the Colombian navy’s work, we managed to capture images with a level of precision that’s never been seen before’, President Ivan Duque said.
San Jose galleon was held by the Spanish monarchy when it was sunk by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708. Only a few of the 600-strong crew members escaped. It was returning from the New World to King Philip V of Spain’s court.
It was packed with riches that were thought to be worth billions of dollars at the time. Treasure hunters had been looking for it for a long time until it was discovered in 2015. It is thought to contain at least 200 tonnes of gold, silver, and emeralds, according to experts.
Wrecks discovered in Colombian territorial seas are considered part of the country’s cultural heritage, hence the contents cannot be sold. Colombian officials have revealed plans to build a shipwreck museum that would be ‘a source of pride for Colombia, the Caribbean, and the world’.
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