CNN
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Colombia has launched the preliminary section of an underwater expedition to discover a Spanish warship that sank within the Caribbean greater than 300 years in the past and is believed to comprise billions of {dollars} price of artifacts – the rights to that are underneath heated dispute.
Found in 2015 in waters off the coast of the port metropolis of Cartegena by the Colombian authorities, the San José is usually known as the “holy grail of shipwrecks.”
The 62-gun, three-masted ship – the flagship and largest galleon of a Spanish fleet – was believed to have been carrying gold, silver, emeralds and different invaluable items from the mines of Potosi, Peru. It was mentioned to have been touring from Panama to Colombia when it sank with 600 folks reportedly on board on June 8, 1708, throughout a battle with British ships in the War of the Spanish Succession.
The primary stage of the expedition will give attention to photographing the ship utilizing “non-intrusive” distant sensors, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and Historical past (ICANH) mentioned, including that outcomes of the preliminary expedition may pave the way in which for subsequent explorations, which might embody recovering archaeological supplies from the shipwreck.
The photographs will then be used to construct a listing of the archaeological discoveries on the seabed.
ICANH has additionally declared the discovery website a nationwide “protected archaeological space” to “protect its scientific and archaeological worth.”
Researchers say in addition they plan to make use of an underwater vessel with acoustic positioning applied sciences, in addition to a distant operation car with numerous sensors and instruments that may descend to the depth of the positioning.
“This authorities is doing one thing that’s unprecedented… exploring the sinking of the galleon as the opportunity of understanding historical past and tradition,” Tradition Minister Juan David Correa advised a information convention in Cartagena on Wednesday, the place the expedition was additionally launched.
San Jose Galleon known as the Holy Grail of Shipwrecks
The San José’s discovery has been important for Colombia due to the ship’s treasure of cultural and historic artifacts – and clues they could present about Europe’s financial, social and political local weather in the course of the early 18th century.
But it surely has additionally sparked a multi-billion greenback authorized battle.
Colombia maintains that it first found the San José in 2015 with assist from worldwide scientists.
However their claims have been disputed by a US-based marine salvaging firm named Sea Search-Armada (SSA), previously generally known as Glocca Morra, which argues that they have been those who had found the shipwreck within the early Eighties.
SSA has launched a authorized battle in opposition to the Colombian authorities within the Everlasting Courtroom of Arbitration, claiming it’s entitled to roughly $10 billion – half the estimated worth of the shipwreck’s treasure.
The Colombian authorities disputes SSA’s claims.
The lack of the San José and its cargo was mentioned to have precipitated monetary hardships to retailers all through Europe and the New World, in keeping with studies launched by SSA.