'Holy grail' £15B shipwreck sunk by Britain relinquishes it's treasures to archaeologists

Shipwreck off the coast of Colombia (Image: -)

A team of archaeologists experienced the discovery of a lifetime earlier this month whilst excavating in Colombia.

They unearthed the initial haul from  the legendary San José galleon, a vessel known throughout history as the "Holy Grail of shipwrecks."

The ship plunged to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea back in 1708, succumbing during a British military assault.

The "Holy Grail" moniker is entirely justified; estimates suggest the wreck contains up to 11 million gold and silver coins, alongside a vast collection of emeralds and additional valuables. The bounty could potentially be valued at approximately $20 billion.

The extent of what can be salvaged remains uncertain.

Not surprisingly, this shipwreck has sparked considerable controversy and international disagreements since its initial discovery in 2015. Both Colombia and Spain have staked claims to the treasure.

Furthermore, Colombia faces legal proceedings with an American investment consortium named Sea Search Armada, who maintain they located the wreck in 1982. The ship was en route to King Philip V of Spain when it sank over 300 years ago.

The vessel was home to at least 600 sailors, with a mere 11 surviving the catastrophic wreck. It's widely believed that an explosion led to the sinking of the 62-gun, three-masted ship after it was ambushed by an English squadron under Charles Wager, who would later become First Lord of the Admiralty.

During the confrontation, the ship’s powder magazines exploded, sending it and its precious cargo to the seabed.

To this day, the ship's exact location has been kept under lock and key (Image: -)

However, the Colombian government suggests it may have sunk due to other factors, including hull damage. The official cause of the wreck remains under investigation today.

Thus far, Colombia's culture ministry has disclosed that archaeologists have unearthed a porcelain cup, three coins, and a bronze cannon in impeccable condition from the site. To this day, the exact location of the ship remains a closely guarded secret, believed to be nearly 2,000 feet deep in the ocean.

Handout picture released by the Colombian Presidency on November 19, 2025, showing President Gustavo (Image: -)

The discoveries made by the archaeologists represent only a fraction of the treasures yet to be uncovered. That said, the Colombian government insists that this deep-sea expedition is being conducted in the name of research and scientific investigation, not treasure hunting.

The San José galleon holds the title as the most valuable shipwreck known to mankind.