Colombian naval officials conducting underwater monitoring of the long-sunken San José galleon have discovered two other historical shipwrecks nearby.
The San José galleon, thought by historians to be carrying treasure that would be worth billions of dollars and considered by some to be the holy grail of shipwrecks, sank in 1708 near Colombia's Caribbean port of Cartagena.
Its potential recovery has been the subject of decades of litigation, with Spain, Colombia and native Bolivian group the Qhara Qhara all laying claim to its bounty.
In a video statement on Monday, Colombian President Iván Duque and naval officials said a remotely operated vehicle had been sent 900 metres below the surface of the water, allowed new video of the wreckage to be shot.
The vehicle also discovered two other nearby wrecks — a colonial boat and a schooner thought to be from around the same period as Colombia's war for independence from Spain, some 200 years ago.
"We now have two other discoveries in the same area that show other options for archaeological exploration," navy commander Admiral Gabriel Pérez said.
"So the work is just beginning."
The images offer the best-yet view of the treasure that was aboard the San José, including gold ingots and coins, cannons made in Seville in 1655 and an intact Chinese dinner service.
The officials said archaeologists from the navy and government are working to determine the origin of the plates based on inscriptions.
"In this way, we protect the treasure, the patrimony of the San José galleon."
Earlier this year, Colombian Vice-President Marta Lucía Ramírez said in a statement that any artefacts from the wrecks would be placed in a museum, "which will be a source of pride for Colombia, the Caribbean and the world".
She said it would be "totally irresponsible" for the treasure to be collected and sold for profit and "a shame for future generations of Colombians".
"Submerged heritage is invaluable, hence the responsibility to protect it until it can be extracted, contributing to the history of Colombia, the Caribbean and the world," she said.
The San José galleon was sunk by the British navy as it transported gold, silver and precious stones to the Spanish court of King Philip V of Spain.
Spain claims the galleon and its treasure as a "ship of state" as it belonged to the Spanish navy when it was sunk and is protected as such by United Nations regulations.
Additionally, it says, the majority of the 600 crew members who died when the ship sank were Spanish citizens whose burial rights should be respected.
The Qhara Qhara's claim says their people were forced to mine the precious metals during the 1500s so the bounty belongs to them.
Reuters/ABC
