Divers Scouring The Atlantic Discovered A Shipwreck Lost In Time
Just imagine it: back in 1708, a Spanish galleon, the San Jose, carried gold, silver, and jewels across the Caribbean Sea on an incredibly important mission. Unfortunately, tragedy struck during the voyage, and the treasure sunk to the bottom of the ocean. For centuries, the shipwreck remained on the seabed, untouched by humans. In fact, many treasure hunters referred to the San Jose and its treasure as the “holy grail of shipwrecks!”
Since it first sank back in 1708, many have tried to locate the remains of the San Jose. Finally, after over 300 years, underwater archeologists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute have discovered the lost ship. However, the discovery sparked a legal battle even more treacherous than diving deep into the ocean for sunken treasure!
1. A Tragedy
Believe it or not, the story of the discovery of the San Jose does not begin in the Caribbean Sea, as you might expect. Instead, it starts off the coast of Brazil’s northeastern coast. There, in 2009, Air France Flight 447 tragically crashed into the ocean due to mechanical errors, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board.
In cases like these, scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute often help with debris recovery. A nonprofit, the large team at Woods Hole study all “marine science and engineering,” including underwater recovery and archeology. Initially, while salvage efforts to retrieve parts of the plane were successful, the aircraft’s black boxes, which record essential details remained elusive. Thankfully, in 2011, a break in the case came – one that would ultimately lead them to the San Jose…
2. New Technology
In 2011, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, alongside the United States Naval Oceanographic Office, created an incredible piece of technology: the Remus 6000. This incredible submersible can radar map large areas of the ocean floor, as deep as four miles! The best part of all? It’s remote-controlled and can even work autonomously! In less than a week, the submersible’s sonar technology led French authorities directly to the black boxes from Flight 447.
After the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute used the Remus 6000 to locate the black boxes, many members wondered what else the powerful submarine could help them find. Some believed it could possibly lead them to the “holy grail of shipwrecks,” the San Jose.
3. The War of the Spanish Succession
To truly understand the importance and wealth of the San Jose, we’ll have to travel even further back in time. In the 18th century, Spain and France joined forces against the United Kingdom rest of Europe, in the War of the Spanish Succession. As a result, Spain created a large fleet of warships to not only protect the country’s citizens, but also its incredible wealth.
Amongst these warships was the great San Jose. A large ship, she primarily ferried money and treasures between the New World, later known as North America, and Spain. While attacks against these types of vessels during wartime were uncommon, they were very effective, at least once…
4. The Skirmish
In 1708, the San Jose led a small treasure fleet from Panama to Cartagena, Colombia, on a tour that would eventually lead back to Spain. Among the ships, the Spanish counted millions in gold, emeralds, and silver. However, just 30 miles from their Colombian destination, a British contingent, led by Admiral Charles Wagner, spotted them. Unfortunately, the ensuing battle led to tragic consequences for the San Jose and her crew.
The ensuing battle, later named “Wager’s Action,” lasted for a chaotic 12 hours, lasting through most of the night. In the middle of the night, around 2 am according to captain’s logs, something incredible happened, like something straight out of a pirate film…
5. San Jose Went Down
As the British ships neared the San Jose, preparing to board, the treasure galleon suddenly exploded! While it’s still unknown exactly what happened, historians believe that the powder magazines for cannons onboard the San Jose detonated, causing the explosions. After the explosion, the ship’s entire load, millions and millions of coins and precious stones and metals, headed to the ocean floor. Meanwhile, of the San Jose’s 600-strong crew, only 11 escaped a similar watery grave.
As you can imagine, the loss of treasure hit the Spanish government quite hard. However, since, at the time, they had no way to search the ocean floor, they simply had to accept the loss. For centuries, treasure hunters searched the waters of Colombia for the San Jose shipwreck, to no avail. Then, the Colombian government made it even harder to search for the shipwreck…
6. Not Getting to the Bottom
Over the centuries, the San Jose became the “holy grail of shipwrecks.” Whoever found it would become a millionaire – if not even richer. So treasure hunter Jack Harbeston (seen in the photo) thought he when he claimed to have found the wreck in the ’80s. However, since the shipwreck lay in Colombia’s territorial waters, he would need their permission to retrieve it. Not only did the government deny his request, but they also put even harsher restrictions in place.
After Harbeston’s request, he Colombian government created a law that banned all access to the San Jose shipwreck and its precious cargo. For decades, the government kept the San Jose’s alleged location a secret. Thankfully, after years of international pressure, the government relented. Unfortunately, it was not Harbeston who would be heading down…
7. A New Opportunity
After years of international pressure, the Colombian government finally allowed a team of scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to go searching for the San Jose shipwreck. Before long, a research vessel called A.R.C Malpelo carried scientists out into the Atlantic Ocean. More specifically, they headed about thirty miles east of the port city of Cartagena, with the Remus 6000 in tow.
“Remus 6000 is the ideal tool for the job since it’s capable of conducting long-duration missions over wide areas,” said the Woods Hole’s team leader, Mike Purcell. While Woods Hole had the proper equipment to hunt for San Jose, finding it remained a challenging task. After all, it had sat at the bottom of the ocean for centuries, undisturbed!
8. A Huge Disappointment
In June of 2015, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution finally began using the Remus 600 to search for the San Jose shipwreck. Unfortunately, the initial reports turned out to be a huge disappointment to everyone onboard the research vessel. Every single day, the Remus returned with no findings. A week passed and still, nothing. Soon, the team members began to feel worried. Their permit from the government only allowed them a few weeks – they were running out of time!
It’s hard to comprehend just how vast the ocean floor is. So, even though the Remus covered plenty of ground each day, miles and miles remained. It easy to see why some members felt discouraged. Still, they all kept working, hoping to find the shipwreck before time ran out. Was the Woods Hole team really up for this impossible task?
9. Returning To Cartagena
Unfortunately, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution team did not find anything on their first trip out to the waters. They returned to the city of Cartagena after the “disappointing” result, and soon enough, they all went home. Still, the underwater archeologists at Woods Hole felt sure that they could find the San Jose with the help of the Remus 6000. So, they submitted another request to search the waters.
Finally, after weeks of waiting, they recieved word from the Colombian government: they could return! Once again, the Woods Hole team prepared to head out into the Atlantic Ocean to search for the San Jose shipwreck. This time, however, something felt different…
10. Five Months Later
Believe it or not, the Colombian government allowed the Woods Hole research team to return to the waters off Cartagena just five months later. Convinced of their mission, the team would not give up on locating the San Jose shipwreck. Before they knew it, the scientists and archeologists were back aboard the A.R.C Malpelo, searching for sunken treasure.
Luckily, this time around, the Woods Hole team’s determination immediately paid off. Within the first week, “[they] got the first indications of the find from side-scan sonar images of the wreck.” At long last, it seemed the team was close to finding the exact location of the long-lost shipwreck and retrieving the treasure.
11. A Debris Field
Of course, the sonar results only showed a debris field. After all, the San Jose had exploded, so little of the ship would remain. Still, the debris could be from another shipwreck, as they are not uncommon in the waters off Cartagena. Nevertheless, these findings convinced the Woods Hole team that they had found at least something incredible, even if it wasn’t San Jose herself.
“From those images, we could see strong sonar signal returns. So we sent Remus back down for a closer look [and] to collect camera images,” Purcell said. Hopefully, sending the Remus 6000 back into the depths would provide the team with the data they needed to determine if they had found the San Jose.
12. Down to the Depths
The day after finding the debris field, the Woods Hole team sent the Remus 6000 down over 2,000 feet, to get that close-up view. There, the submersible hovered just 30 feet above the debris field, taking H.D. photos. On the surface, the team of scientists and archeologists waited on bated breath to see what the Remus captured.
The images that the sub sent back were utterly astonishing. In them, the researchers could see pots, weapons, even hundreds of teacups littering the seabed. However, it was the collection of cannons that truly caught the experts’ attention, given what they were looking for!
13. Closer Images
Woods Hole engineer Jeff Kaeli could not believe what he saw as he looked at the photos from the Remus. “I just sat there and smiled,” he later told CBS News of the images. “I’m not a marine archaeologist, but I know what a cannon looks like.” Of course, at that moment, the team knew they had discovered a shipwreck.
However, believe it or not, they would need an even closer view to confirm that what they had found was the San Jose. After all, as stated, the waters off Colombia might seem calm, but they are home to many lost ships and galleons. So, the team sent the Remus 6000 in even closer, search for particular engravings, unique to the cannons of the San Jose…
14. The Proof That They Needed
Sure enough, when the submersible got nearer the shipwreck, it snapped pictures of carved dolphins connected to the cannons. Indeed, the carved sea creatures were the proof that the Woods Hole team’s lead archeologist, Roger Dooley, needed. Now, he felt confident to say that they had, in fact, found the long-lost vessel, the San Jose.
“With the [new] images, we were able to see new details in the wreckage. And the resolution was good enough to make out the decorative carving on the cannons,” Purcell explained. It seemed like all their hard work had finally paid off! Now, the Woods Hole team would get to explore the rest of the wreckage!
15. The Historical Significance
It is hard to underestimate the importance of the finding of the San Jose. “The San Jose discovery carries considerable cultural and historical significance for the Colombian government,” a spokesperson from Superior Tribunal of Barranquilla, a part of Colombia’s government, said.
As historians continue to investigate and research, they hope that “the wreck’s contents, including cannons, ceramics, and other artifacts…provide clues about Europe’s economic, social, and political climate in the 18th century.” For instance, by surveying the types of items present, historians are already beginning to understand a wealth of information about trading in the area during the 18th century. And that’s just the beginning of the historical discoveries awaiting archeologists. Unfortunately, they might need to wait quite a while…
16. After Three Centuries, What’re Three Years?
Incredibly enough, after three centuries of lying hidden on the seabed, humans finally laid eyes on what remained of the San Jose. Despite failing once, the Remus 6000 had managed to complete the difficult task of finding the incredible galleon. Of course, the Woods Hole team immediately started cataloging and exploring the find.
However, while the incredible discovery of the San Jose would become one of the biggest news stories of all time, details about the shipwreck did not become public for another three years. Both the Colombian government and the Woods Hole team had their own reasons for not celebrating their triumph just yet. But what were they?
17. The San Jose’s Real Value
The most important reason to keep the discovery a secret for three years was the treasure itself. You see, if the shipwreck’s cargo contains untold riches, as the Woods Hole team quickly discovered while surveying. In fact, according to expert estimates, the real value of the shipwreck’s sunken treasure could be upwards of $20 billion. Yes, billion with a “b!”
As you might imagine, whoever turns out to be the owner of the wreck would instantly become very, very wealthy. So, if the location of the San Jose got out, the swarms of ensuing divers and treasure hunters could be devastating to the historical site and the local environment…
18. A Secret
Since the archeologists at Woods Hole estimate the sunken treasure’s worth at roughly $20 billion, they and the government agree the location is a secret worth keeping. As one lawyer told National Geographic in 2018: treasure hunters would “just lose their minds” at the chance to find something like this. So it’s really a matter of protecting such an incredible discovery and historical treasure.
There’s also another, more tragic reason why the team and government want to keep the location of the shipwreck a secret. Unfortunately, the Woods Hole researchers found more than treasure with the help of the Remus 6000…
19. Another Reason
Terribly, there’s a far sadder why many agree that the San Jose’s location should remain a secret. You see, as almost the entire crew of San Jose died during the explosion, the shipwreck is also considered a war grave. In fact, since the wreck stayed undisturbed for centuries, the Woods Hole team even found some intact remains. As such, the crew, who gave their life for their country, deserve the utmost respect.
It makes [salvage] very touchy because one is not supposed to intervene in war graves,” archeologist Juston Leidwanger told CBS News. “Can you pluck treasure from the sea without disturbing a war grave? I doubt you can.” Finally, there’s one more reason the San Jose remained secret for so long after being discovered, and its the most significant reason of all…
20. The Legal Wrangling
The biggest reason why the San Jose shipwreck remains completely off-limits? An enormous legal battle erupted after the Colombian government learned of the discovery. Even today, Colombia and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute still disagree on who will have legal authority over the shipwreck. Meanwhile, The country of Spain, who of course once owned the galleon and the wealth inside, is also making a legal move for the sunken treasure.
And that’s just the beginning! The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), wants to make the San Jose a World Heritage Site, essentially putting the U.N. in charge. Then, believe it or not, one more contender threw his hat into the legal ring…
21. More Than Prepared
Jack Harbeston, the treasure hunter who claims to have found the San Jose in the ’80s, says that he and his company have a legitimate claim to half of the sunken treasure. Of course, as stated, he and his company, Sea Search Armada, say they found the shipwreck in 1981.
“We are prepared to file several legal actions in Colombia, and to pursue, with the U.S. Department of Justice, remedies under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” Harbeston said. Not only that, but Harbeston also noted that his company had a contract at the time with the Colombian government, granting it half-ownership of San Jose if they were able to find it. However, the Colombian government says no such contract existed.
22. Not the Only Ones
As you might imagine, Spain also made a claim over the ownership of the shipwreck. In fact, Spain argues that the San Jose “is a military vessel and therefore is still Spanish property under the terms of a United Nations treaty, of which Colombia is not a signatory.”
But that’s not all. “Spain has also said that 570 of its citizens are contained within the wreck and should be respected,” CNN reported. Ricardo Sanz Marcos, an Assets and Heritage Security Consultancy for ASIS International, believes that this is the most persuasive case of ownership currently presented. To put it into context, he said that San Jose is to Spain what the USS Arizona is to America.
23. Spain’s Legacy
“This is our legacy; all shipwrecks are the testimony of trade and cultural dialogue of peoples,” Sanz Marcos says. “They can be used to travel through time to find out what life was like on board at the time of the shipwreck. If we can seriously study the shipwreck, we can learn a lot of the history of the humanities as they existed three centuries ago.” Furthermore, Sanz Marcos points to Spain’s plan to involve UNESCO in overseeing the San Jose site as proof of their goodwill.
On the other hand, Sanz Marcos feels that the Colombian government does not have any claim to the shipwreck, despite it being in their territory. This expert, at least, believes that Colombia will likely permanently damage the site for profit. So, in 2018, UNESCO acted, thanks in part so Sanz Marcos…
24. Stepping in
In 2018, UNESCO sent a letter to Mariana Garces Corboda, Cultural Minister of Colombia, asking Colombia to refrain from commercial exploitation of the site. “Allowing the commercial exploitation of Colombia’s cultural heritage goes against the best scientific standards and international ethical principles as laid down especially in the UNESCO Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention,” the letter said.
According to Sanz Marcos, the ideal solution is for Colombia and Spain to reach an agreement about the ownership and to have the San Jose site placed under UNESCO protection. “Think about the magnitude of the problem. There are thousands of historical shipwrecks around the globe,” he explains. “The only solution, in my opinion, is that organizations under UNESCO’s supervision protect these sites.”
25. Not Alot of Hope
However, Sanz Marcos doesn’t appear to be too convinced that a Spanish-Colombian deal will happen anytime soon. You see, Colombia is not a signee of the UNESCO Pact, and the parties have completely different economic interests. Plus, $20 billion will make anyone fight!
In response to UNSECO’s letter, in April 2019, the Superior Tribunal of Barranquilla issued an embargo on salvaging of the San Jose site while the claims over ownership continue. “Colombia will keep absolutely secret the coordinates where the shipwreck can be found and will not give up in the face of strategies to reveal this valuable information,” said Colombian Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez. However, the legal battle cannot go on forever…
26. It Can’t Go On Forever
So, what will happen when the legal contest over the San Jose shipwreck ends? Well, if the Colombian government wins ownership of the site, they’ve pledged to build “a museum and world-class conservation laboratory, in order to preserve and publicly display the wreck’s contents.” However, their plan relies on massive portions of the San Jose being brought to the surface and placed in said museum. Unfortunately, many experts believe that raising any items from the shipwreck could result in severe damage to the artifacts.
Meanwhile, as stated, Spain would bring in UNESCO to help turn the San Jose into a memorial for the fallen soliders. While no plan has been unveiled, they will likely look to other water memorials, like Pearl Harbor, for inspiration.
27. Securing the Site
While the arguments over the ownership continue, San Jose will remain at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. However, one day, regular folks might be able to see the riches of the 18th century in a museum or water-based memorial. But in the meantime, we will need to be content with the pictures that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Colombian Government release.
Of course, you don’t need to go to the bottom of the ocean to find treasure, or even be an expert. Sometimes, treasure turns up in the most unsuspecting places, like the bedroom of your grandparent’s old house…
28. A Massive Secret
Nearly two decades after his grandparents’ passing, one Reddit user, known only by his user name EvilEnglish, found out he had inherited their abandoned Tennesee farmhouse. Soon enough, you’ll discover why the user decided to keep his name confidential!
In order to sell the property, EvilEnglish needed to clear out the farmhouse. While cleaning out the old house, he expected he might find a few souvenirs from the carefree days he spent there as a child. EvilEnglish had no idea he would soon discover that his beloved grandparents had been hiding a massive secret from the entire family…
29. A Farmhouse in Tennessee
Reddit user EvilEnglish uploaded his incredible tale of hidden secrets in late 2017. He started by recalling the many pleasant holidays and summer afternoons he spent at his grandparents’ farmhouse in Tennessee when he was a child.
Initially, the building and surrounding land had been a working farm. In fact, the house is so old that the exact date of construction is unknown! However, by the time EvilEnglish’s grandparents purchased the house, shortly after their marriage, various owners had sold off the farmland. After buying the home, his grandparents lived in it fulltime and worked hard to transform it into a welcoming home.
30. Escaping The Summer Heat of The South
After their wedding, EvilEnglish’s grandparents moved into the home from an apartment in the deep South. “The house was a home for my grandparents for some 20-odd years,” he wrote. “They bought this house in the late 70s or early 80s to escape the oppressive summer heat of the South.” Even though EvilEnglish didn’t specify where his grandparents moved from, its no doubt that Tennesse does enjoy much more beautiful summers than the long, hard summers of the deep South.
After turning their little farmhouse into a beautiful home, EvilEnglish’s grandparents decided to start raising a family. To them, this small farmhouse seemed like the perfect place to spend forever. It also became the ideal place for the grandparents to keep secrets from their family.
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