Archive · 11 Jun 2025
San Jose Galleon Shipwreck Confirmed, Sparking Ownership Dispute
Imagine a really old ship, the San Jose, that sank a long time ago, carrying treasure.
This ship had lots of gold, silver, and jewels!
It sank in a battle with the Royal Navy.
Now, people found the ship again.
It's worth a lot of money, around $21 billion.
Now, different countries like Colombia, Spain, and Peru, and even a treasure hunting company all want to keep it.
They're arguing about who gets what, kind of like a treasure hunt with lawyers!
The San Jose galleon shipwreck, valued at $21 billion, has been confirmed.
The ship sank in 1708 during a battle with the Royal Navy off Cartagena.
The wreck was located in 2015 using underwater drones.
Multiple parties, including Colombia, Spain, and Peru, claim ownership.
A treasure hunting company, Sea Search Armada, also claims a portion, with a $10 billion lawsuit ongoing.
- Who
- The San Jose galleon, the Royal Navy, Colombia, Spain, Peru, Sea Search Armada.
- What
- The confirmed discovery of the San Jose galleon shipwreck with its estimated $21 billion treasure.
- When
- The ship sank in 1708, the wreck was located in 2015.
- Where
- Off the coast of Cartagena, in the Caribbean Sea.
- Why
- A dispute over ownership of the treasure has ensued.
Colombia's View
Spain's View
Ownership
Colombia's View
Colombia claims ownership of the treasure.
Spain's View
Spain claims ownership of the treasure.
Treasure Claim
Colombia's View
Colombia disputes the claim of Sea Search Armada.
Spain's View
Sea Search Armada claims a portion based on their previous discovery.
- Ship Name
- San Jose Galleon
- Estimated Treasure Value
- $21 Billion
- Sinking Date
- 1708
- Location
- Off the coast of Cartagena
- Discovery Date
- 2015
- Potential Claimants
- Colombia, Spain, Peru, Sea Search Armada