Colombia's Hidden Treasure: The Discovery of the San Jose Shipwreck

The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, announced that on November 27, the Colombian Navy, in collaboration with the country's national archaeological institute, discovered the remains of the famous Spanish galleon 'San Jose,' which sank 307 years ago near the coast of Cartagena, Colombia.

In an interview with the Colombian television agency, Santos stated: "We have no doubt that the ship found is the famous galleon 'San Jose.' We plan to establish a museum in Cartagena to display the rare artifacts discovered in the ship's remains. The ship was part of the fleet of King Philip V of Spain, who fought the British during the War of Spanish Succession."

In a social media post, the president wrote: "Wonderful news: we have discovered the galleon 'San Jose.' The ship, which carried approximately 600 people, sank during a naval battle between Spanish and English ships in 1708 and settled into the depths near Baru Island, close to Cartagena. Estimates suggest the ship carried 11 million gold coins and numerous jewels. Many researchers define the ship as the 'holy grail of shipwrecks.' It is one of the greatest discoveries found in the depths of the sea, if not the greatest in human history."

(צילום אילוסטרציה: Shutterstock)

Santos stated: "To ensure the preservation of the ship, scientific examinations of its remains will continue for a long time. Until these examinations are completed, only limited details will be provided. It is not yet clear how much of the ship's structure remains intact or if it can be raised to the surface."

Meanwhile, the American sea exploration and salvage company, Sea Search Armada, has filed a lawsuit against the Colombian government, claiming they already discovered the location of the sinking ship in 1981.

A Colombian government spokesperson declined to disclose the exact location where the ship was found.