First Treasure from 18th-Century Shipwreck Worth $20 Billion Recovered

**Islamabad:** The first portion of treasure has been recovered from the wreck of the 18th-century Spanish warship *San José*, lying on the ocean floor. The shipwreck reportedly contains gold and silver coins valued at approximately $20 billion, totaling 11 million coins.

The Spanish Navy vessel, equipped with 64 cannons, was sunk by the British in 1708 near the coast of present-day Colombia.

A Colombian recovery mission has now retrieved initial artifacts from the wreck, including a cannon, three coins, and some porcelain. *San José* rests at a depth of 600 meters in the Caribbean Sea, but its exact location remains a state secret. Ownership of the shipwreck is the subject of intense legal disputes.

The $20 billion treasure is currently contested among the United States, Colombia, and Spain. A group of American investors, *Sea Search Armada*, claims to have discovered the ship in 1982 and is demanding $10 billion—approximately half of the estimated value—for its share.