The “holy grail” of shipwrecks remains at the bottom of the ocean filled with billions of gold and jewels, but the Colombian government simply made it harder to claim the treasure.
The legendary San José galleon sank off its Caribbean coast more than three centuries ago, taking with it gold, silver and emeralds believed to be worth $20 billion today.
On Wednesday, Colombia declared a “protected archaeological zone” around the site where the ship sank off the Colombian port of Cartagena after its magazines detonated during a skirmish with the British in 1708.
The Ministry of Culture said the designation “ensures the protection of heritage” through the “long-term preservation of the ship and the development of research, conservation and valuation activities.”
At the time of its sinking, the San José was property of the Spanish crown; There were 600 sailors on board her, all but 11 of whom went down with the ship.
The legendary San Jose galleon (pictured in this painting) sank off its Caribbean coast more than three centuries ago, taking with it gold, silver and emeralds believed to be worth $20 billion in today’s money.
The San José was a 62-gun galleon that sank on June 8, 1708, with 600 people on board.
The ship, nicknamed the ‘holy grail’ of shipwrecks for its abundant treasure, was returning from the New World to the court of King Philip V of Spain when it fell to the bottom of the ocean.
The 62-gun galleon was sailing from Portobelo in Panama leading a fleet of 14 merchant ships and three Spanish warships when it encountered the British squadron near Barú.
In 2015, the Colombian government announced that a team of navy divers had discovered the legendary ship submerged in nearly 3,100 feet of water.
Colombia announced the discovery of the San José that same year, but by that time it had already caught the attention of adventurers.
Last year, another team brought back stunning images of their perfectly preserved cargo.
The Colombian government previously stated that the ship would be lifted before President Gustavo Petro ends his term in 2026.
However, a big fight will ensue over who owns the ship: an American company claims it discovered the ship and is demanding a share of the treasure.
The Spanish government and an indigenous group also claim ownership of the shipwreck.
The American research company Glocca Morra claims it found the San José in 1981 and handed over the coordinates to the Colombians on the condition of receiving half the fortune once the ship was recovered.
Gold coins were also collected in the video released by the Colombian government.
Among the ship’s treasures were intact china and other tableware.
But the company’s claim was refuted in 2015 by then-Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos, who said the Navy had found the ship in a different location on the seabed.
Glocca Morra, now called Sea Search Armada, is suing for half of the treasure (about $10 billion by current estimates) under the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, according to Bloomberg.
But Colombian Culture Minister Juan David Correa said the government team had visited coordinates provided by Sea Search Armada and found no trace of the San José.
To further complicate matters, there are competing claims between the Spanish, whose Navy the ship belonged, and the indigenous Qhara Qhara nation of Bolivia, who say their people were forced to extract the gold and jewels, so the treasures belong to them.
Meanwhile, Colombia has hailed the find as a huge historical and cultural achievement.
Correa told Bloomberg: ‘This is one of the priorities of the Petro administration. The president has told us to quicken our pace.’