The ship's treasure is believed to be worth around $17bn by today's standards
Newly released photos claim to show a centuries old shipwreck off the coast of Columbia that contains lost treasure worth billions of dollars by today's standards.
Photos of the San Jose galleon, which was sank by the British navy in 1708 whilst loaded with treasure, were unveiled during a recent press event hosted by the Columbian army.
Billed as one of the world's most valuable shipwrecks - as detailed in Business Insider - the galleon was lost for centuries following its sinking during the War of the Spanish Succession.
The 64-gun vessel was believed to have had over 600 people on board when it went down, alongside 200 tones worth of precious treasure, including gold and silver coins and many emeralds and ceramics.
By today's valuation, the ship's sunken treasure is believed to be worth around $17bn - earning the galleon the moniker 'the holy grail of shipwrecks'.
Despite being found back in 2015, Columbian officials have kept its exact location a closely guarded secret. However Columbian president Iván Duque recently teased previously unseen pictures of the ship at the bottom of the ocean during a press conference held on June 6.
During the 13-minute clip included above, viewers can see images that reportedly show a range of sunken treasures - including swords, coins and Chinese ceramics.
The footage was reportedly captured via remotely controlled state-of-the-art equipment that delved to a whopping 3,280 feet to fully explore the ship's hidden corners.
Commenting on the find, Duque explained: "The idea is to recover it and to have sustainable financing mechanisms for future extractions," adding that "In this way, we protect the treasure, the patrimony of the San Jose galleon."
In addition, Duque revealed that the process of exploring and uncovering the San Jose galleon had also helped authorities locate two additional shipwrecks nearby, including a schooner that is believed to be from the 1800s and a colonial boat.
Related links:
Some are excluded The public can have their say on which creatures feature on future banknotes, as eighteen animals, birds and insects have been shortlisted to appear. On the next series of Bank of England notes, the wildlife beauty contest gives the colourful kingfisher and common frog an equal chance of a place. Earlier this […]
It’s not quite as crazy as it sounds Google wants to release 32,000,000 disease-infected mosquitoes into the wild. Yes, you heard that right, and while this may sound like the evil masterplan of a crazed villain, the project is actually one of goodwill for the betterment of humanity. For thousands of years, humans have been […]
It seems people are divided The new season of Clarkson’s Farm focuses on Jeremy Clarkson’s efforts to modernise Diddly Squat Farm, as he deals with major farming challenges, a changing political landscape, and the growing demands of running his new pub. Season 5 of the documentary reality series begins after a health scare forces Jeremy […]