Colombia has presented its defense after being sued by U.S. treasure hunters, Sea Search Armada (SSA), for a share of what could be the largest maritime treasure in history, the San José shipwreck.
In what is set to be the most expensive litigation in the country’s history, the treasure-hunting firm SSA is suing for a share of the trove found on the San José galleon shipwreck, which they claim to have discovered in the 1980s. The treasure is valued anywhere between $4 billion to $20 billion, and Colombia asserts that they found the shipwreck and that SSA has no right to the fortune.
The San José Shipwreck, US Treasure Hunters vs Colombia
The remains of the Spanish galleon San José, estimated to be worth nearly $20 billion, has been located off the coast of Colombia. pic.twitter.com/Tsb02Cgu87
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) December 16, 2023
The San José Galleon was once part of the mighty Spanish Armada, which Spain used to become a massive colonial empire. The British sank the ship off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia in 1708, during the War of the Spanish Succession, while it was traveling from what is modern-day Panama.
The San José had a massive crew of about 600 sailors. The galleon was transporting a large treasure trove of gold coins, emeralds, and porcelain. About 270 years later, in 1982, a company called Glocca Morra, now SSA, allegedly discovered the treasure.
The Glocca Morra company claims to have provided the Colombian government with the coordinates to the riches. However, the two parties failed to reach an agreement, and the treasure remained underwater until the Colombian Navy reported finding the shipwreck in 2015, in a different location from where SSA claims to have discovered the trove.
The Colombian government asserts that the ship did not sink as a result of a naval battle with British forces, but sank for a different reason as they allegedly found the ship in pristine condition.
The SSA is currently claiming a 50 percent stake in the treasure, which they estimate to be worth approximately $10 billion. However, Colombia is resolutely defending its position, asserting that the company did not discover the treasure in the 1980s and thus has no rightful claim to it.
The Treasure
The San José Galleon’s loot comprises an estimated 200 tons of gold, silver, gemstones, and artifacts. The Colombian government has salvaged approximately 1,100 artifacts ranging from porcelain jars to the ship’s anchor using a remote-operated Lynx robot. They have also found Chinese porcelain cups, canons, and untouched items still in their original shipping packaging.
With such a large treasure at stake, many parties, including Spain, are attempting to lay claim to it because it was part of their colonial armada. The legal battle has yet to be fought, but whatever the outcome, it is set to make history.
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