Colombia's Navy has shared unprecedented images of the legendary San Jose galleon shipwreck, thought to be carrying 200 tons of gold, silver and precious stones.
Spain's San Jose galleon was loaded with a vast cargo of treasure when it was sunk by British navy ships in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession
After the recent elaborate diving expedition at a depth of 950 meters (3,117 feet), the Colombian Navy has published new footage of the legendary ship and its treasures.
Video shared by the Colombian government in early June shows in detail the wreckage of the 300-year-old San Jose, a Spanish galleon that sank near the city of Cartagena in the early 18th century. The ship, a 64-gun, three-mast galleon of the Spanish Navy, was part of the Spanish treasure fleet during the War of the Spanish Succession. It is believed to have been carrying at least 200 tons of treasure, including gold coins, silver coins, and emeralds, worth an estimated up to $17 billion at today's prices.
Colombia President Iván Duque Márquez said new equipment allowed them to dive deeper and get better quality images. The video shows the best-yet view of the treasure that was aboard the San Jose — including gold ingots and coins, cannons made in Seville in 1655 and intact Chinese dinner service, Reuters reported.
The remotely operated vehicle also discovered two other shipwrecks in the area, including a schooner thought to be from about two centuries ago as we reported previously.
