The San José, a Spanish galleon built in 1698, met its fate during the War of Spanish Succession on June 8, 1708. As the flagship of a treasure fleet, it was carrying an immense cargo of gold, silver, and emeralds from the Spanish colonies in the Americas to King Philip V of Spain12. The ship's journey was cut short when it encountered a British squadron led by Commodore Charles Wager near Cartagena, Colombia. In the ensuing battle, known as Wager's Action, the San José exploded and sank, taking with it nearly 600 crew members and its valuable cargo1.

• The galleon's cargo included:

  • Approximately 200 tons of gold coins

  • Silver coins and bars

  • Emeralds from Colombian mines

  • Chinese porcelain and other artifacts34

• The sinking of the San José was a significant blow to Spain's war efforts, as the treasure was intended to finance their military campaigns1.

• For centuries, the wreck's location remained a mystery, fueling legends and inspiring numerous treasure-hunting expeditions3.

The discovery of the San José in 2015 ignited a complex international legal battle over ownership rights. Colombia asserts its claim based on the wreck's location in its territorial waters, while Spain argues for ownership as the original flag nation of the vessel. Indigenous groups, including the Qhara Qhara people of Bolivia, stake their claim on the grounds that their ancestors were forced to mine the precious metals aboard the ship12. Adding to the complexity, the U.S.-based Sea Search Armada contends it first located the wreck in the 1980s and deserves a share of the findings34. This multi-faceted dispute is currently under review by the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration, highlighting the intricate challenges of determining rightful ownership of historical shipwrecks and their valuable contents25.

Colombia's ambitious recovery operation for the San José employs cutting-edge underwater robotics and remote sensing technology. A $4.5 million investment supports the deployment of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capable of working at depths of nearly 2,000 feet12. This robot is equipped with advanced imaging systems to scan and photograph the wreck's contents without disturbing its structural integrity3.

The operation follows a phased approach:

• Initial "characterization phase" using remote sensors to create detailed site imagery and inventory archaeological material4

• Underwater robots collect environmental data around the wreck site4

• Careful extraction of surface artifacts like ceramics and wood samples for analysis2

• Potential future phases may involve more extensive recovery, guided by initial findings4

Importantly, the Colombian government emphasizes preserving the wreck's archaeological context, aiming to balance scientific research with cultural heritage preservation14.

Recent explorations of the San José wreck site have yielded significant archaeological discoveries, expanding our understanding of this historic shipwreck. In 2022, the Colombian Navy conducted four observation campaigns using high-tech equipment, revealing a concentration of archaeological remains1. A subsequent robotic exploration in May-June 2023 covered an area equivalent to over 40 professional soccer fields, uncovering new artifacts and providing more detailed characterization of previously detected accumulations1.

Key findings include:

• An anchor and parts of the ship's cargo, including jugs and glass bottles1

• Cast iron cannons, porcelain pieces, and objects apparently made of gold1

• A well-preserved Chinese dinner service, evidence of early transpacific global trade21

• Gold ingots and coins, alongside cannons manufactured in Seville in 16553

These discoveries not only shed light on the ship's contents but also provide valuable insights into 18th-century maritime trade and naval technology. The Colombian government has declared the site a "protected archaeological area" to ensure long-term preservation and facilitate ongoing research14.