Colombia has found the wreck of a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Cartagena and is thought to be laden with emeralds and gold and silver coins, President Juan Manuel Santos says.
The San Jose sank in 1708 in the Caribbean Sea close to Cartagena. It was part of the fleet of King Philip V as he fought the English during the War of Spanish Succession.
Sea Search Armada, a US-based salvage company, has a long-standing suit against Colombia over ownership of the wreck. SSA said in 1981 it had located the area in which the ship sank.
SSA and the Government were partners then and agreed to split any proceeds but the Government later said any treasure would belong to Colombia.
In 2011, a US court declared the galleon the property of the Colombian state.
