A Spanish galleon that sank
with treasure of plundered gold 343 years ago has been found by divers off the coast of
Ecuador, it was revealed on March 11th. The Spanish naval flagship La Capitana Jesus
Maria went down in 1645 with a cargo of gold, silver and jewels stolen from Peru’s
Indians. The treasure is believed to be worth up to £5bn, according to Norwegian reports.
"It’s completely unbelievable. I can hardly believe that I found the
ship." said Norwegian diver Anton Smith about the discovery.
An international consortium has been searching for the vessel for three years. As the
finders they can keep half the treasure, with the rest going to the government of Ecuador.
"It is like walking right into a fairy tale," said a spokesman for the
Norwegian consortium which has helped fund the treasure hunt, "People have been
searching for this ship for 300 years without success.
La Capitana Jesus Maria was sailing from Peru to Panama when it sank in shallow waters.
Even though the captain survived and was able to note the ship’s approximate
position, it remained hidden for centuries.
"It’s not very deep there, only about 50 feet, but part of the problem is
that the waters are very turbulent and the last ten feet are very silty. So it has been
very difficult to get orientated." said Norwegian investor Morten Moe.
He said recently developed seismic technology lead the team to three connonballs and a
vase, which led them to the boat.
(From the Liverpool Daily Post)
