Latest news with #BaruIsland
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Gold-laden ‘£16bn' ship ‘is FOUND': Sunken galleon discovered 10yrs ago is fabled holy grail of wrecks, scientists say
A CENTURIES old Spanish galleon stacked with a £16-billion treasure trove has finally been found, researchers have claimed. Known as the holy grail of shipwrecks, the San Jose was long believed to be lost beneath the waters of the Caribbean. 6 6 6 After being sunk by the British more than three centuries ago, its treasures have gone untouched and undiscovered at the bottom of the sea. But academics in Colombia now believe that a wreckage found near Baru Island in 2015 is the long-lost galleon. An underwater drone mission from a decade ago captured images of the cargo scattered in and around the shipwreck. Among the items spotted were silver coins minted in 1707 in Lima, Peru and Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period. There were also cannon inscriptions that dated to 1665. The academics said: "This body of evidence substantiates the identification of the wreck as the San José Galleon, a hypothesis that has been put forward since its initial discovery in 2015. "The finding of cobs created in 1707 at the Lima Mint points to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century. "The San Jose Galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics. "This find presents a rare opportunity to explore an underwater archaeological site and deepen our understanding of colonial maritime trade and routes." The San Jose was sunk by the Royal Navy back in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was intercepted by a British squadron under Charles Wager, who would later serve as First Lord of the Admiralty. The vessel's powder magazines detonated during the attack, causing it to sink. Its treasure was being ferried from Peru to Spain to help fund the Spanish war effort - making the sinking of the San Jose a huge blow to Spain. The war would end with Britain getting control of Gibraltar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The combined treasure of gold, silver and precious stones is believed to be worth around £16 billion in today's prices, The Telegraph has reported. This new discovery is expected to further stoke a dispute over wreckage's legal ownership. The governments of Colombia, Spain and Peru all stake claims to the San Jose, as do indigenous communities and the descendants of the miners who dug up the treasure. Treasure-hunting firm Glocca Morra also claims it discovered the wreckage as long ago as 1981. Its new owners Sea Search Armada are adamant the vessel was found within a mile or two of its 1981 discovery. The firm is claiming £7.9 billion and is challenging a 2020 Colombian law that says everything on board is the government's property. 6 6
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sunken ship with £16bn of treasure ‘found in Caribbean'
For centuries, a £16-billion treasure trove of gold, silver and emeralds were lost beneath the waves of the Caribbean. But now researchers believe they have identified the 'holy grail of shipwrecks'. The rich treasures of the Spanish galleon San Jose appeared to have been gone forever after they were sunk by the Royal Navy in 1708. A squadron commanded by Charles Wager, who would go on to serve as the First Lord of the Admiralty, intercepted the treasure fleet near Baru Island, off Cartagena, Colombia, and attacked, detonating its powder magazines and sending it to the seabed. The treasure was being transported from Peru to Spain to fund the War of the Spanish Succession against Britain and its allies. Gold and silver coins, pearls and gems, claimed to be worth as much as £16 billion in current prices, sat aboard the San Jose. The sinking of the ship dented the Spanish effort in the war, which ended with Britain gaining Gibraltar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Academics in Colombia now claim to have confirmed that a wreck found off the South American country's coast in 2015 is the San Jose. Using underwater drones, they photographed cargo scattered on and around the wreckage of a ship found on the seafloor near Baru Island, in 2015. Analysis of the images found silver coins – minted in 1707 with the hallmarks of the mint at Lima, Peru – among the wreckage. Other finds included Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and inscriptions on cannons that dated to 1665. These finds suggest the wreckage is of a ship that sank in the early 18th century. 'This body of evidence substantiates the identification of the wreck as the San José Galleon, a hypothesis that has been put forward since its initial discovery in 2015,' the academics found. 'The finding of cobs created in 1707 at the Lima Mint points to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century. The San José Galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics. 'This find presents a rare opportunity to explore an underwater archaeological site and deepen our understanding of colonial maritime trade and routes.' The analysis will likely deepen a battle over the legal ownership of the wreckage. Claims have been made by Colombia, Spain, Peru, indigenous communities in the area, descendants of miners who dug up the treasure, and Glocca Morra, the treasure hunters which says they found the wreck as far back as 1981. Glocca Morra's new owners, Sea Search Armada, insist that the galleon was found within a mile or two of the coordinates of its 1981 discovery. The company, which is claiming £7.9 billion, is also challenging a 2020 law that deemed everything on the ship was Colombian government property The researchers added: 'Coins are crucial artefacts for dating and understanding material culture, particularly in shipwreck contexts. 'Hand-struck, irregularly shaped coins—known as cobs in English and macuquinas in Spanish – served as the primary currency in the Americas for more than two centuries.' The finds follow previous carbon dating analysis of the wreckage that indicated that it was approximately 300 years old. The ship's cargo will not be recovered from the seafloor until the wreckage is 'fully characterised' using 'non-invasive surveys'. With the galleon lying several hundred metres below the sea surface, it is too deep for human exploration. The study is published in the journal Antiquity. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Sunken ship with £15bn of treasure ‘found in Caribbean'
For centuries, a £16-billion treasure trove of gold, silver and emeralds were lost beneath the waves of the Caribbean. But now researchers believe they have identified the ' holy grail of shipwrecks '. The rich treasures of the Spanish galleon San Jose appeared to have been gone forever after they were sunk by the Royal Navy in 1708. A squadron commanded by Charles Wager, who would go on to serve as the First Lord of the Admiralty, intercepted the treasure fleet near Baru Island, off Cartagena, Colombia, and attacked, detonating its powder magazines and sending it to the seabed. The treasure was being transported from Peru to Spain to fund the War of the Spanish Succession against Britain and its allies. Gold and silver coins, pearls and gems, claimed to be worth as much as £16 billion in current prices, sat aboard the San Jose. The sinking of the ship dented the Spanish effort in the war, which ended with Britain gaining Gibraltar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Academics in Colombia now claim to have confirmed that a wreck found off the South American country's coast in 2015 is the San Jose. Using underwater drones, they photographed cargo scattered on and around the wreckage of a ship found on the seafloor near Baru Island, in 2015. Analysis of the images found silver coins – minted in 1707 with the hallmarks of the mint at Lima, Peru – among the wreckage. Other finds included Chinese porcelain from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and inscriptions on cannons that dated to 1665. These finds suggest the wreckage is of a ship that sank in the early 18th century. 'This body of evidence substantiates the identification of the wreck as the San José Galleon, a hypothesis that has been put forward since its initial discovery in 2015,' the academics found. 'The finding of cobs created in 1707 at the Lima Mint points to a vessel navigating the Tierra Firme route in the early 18th century. The San José Galleon is the only ship that matches these characteristics. 'This find presents a rare opportunity to explore an underwater archaeological site and deepen our understanding of colonial maritime trade and routes.' The analysis will likely deepen a battle over the legal ownership of the wreckage. Claims have been made by Colombia, Spain, Peru, indigenous communities in the area, descendants of miners who dug up the treasure, and Glocca Morra, the treasure hunters which says they found the wreck as far back as 1981. Glocca Morra's new owners, Sea Search Armada, insist that the galleon was found within a mile or two of the coordinates of its 1981 discovery. The company, which is claiming £7.9 billion, is also challenging a 2020 law that deemed everything on the ship was Colombian government property The researchers added: 'Coins are crucial artefacts for dating and understanding material culture, particularly in shipwreck contexts. 'Hand-struck, irregularly shaped coins—known as cobs in English and macuquinas in Spanish – served as the primary currency in the Americas for more than two centuries.' The finds follow previous carbon dating analysis of the wreckage that indicated that it was approximately 300 years old. The ship's cargo will not be recovered from the seafloor until the wreckage is 'fully characterised' using 'non-invasive surveys'. With the galleon lying several hundred metres below the sea surface, it is too deep for human exploration. The study is published in the journal Antiquity.
