Controversy resurfaces in Colombia over treasure-filled San Jose shipwreck

The San José, a Spanish galleon carrying gold, silver, and emeralds, sank off Colombia’s coast in 1708 after being destroyed by the British during the War of the Spanish Succession. The cargo was intended to fund the war and lies more than 600 meters underwater. Since Colombia announced its discovery in 2015, the wreck has become highly disputed. In 2016 and 2022, complaints alleged looting and unauthorized interventions and claimed that the site coordinates were disclosed despite being treated as a state secret. A Colombian oversight group pursued legal actions, which helped lead to the wreck’s designation as a cultural interest site in 2020 and a ban on private involvement. In 2024, the wreck was designated as a protected site under ICANH, while concerns about earlier ignored accusations persisted.

"For years, controversy has surrounded the San José, a Spanish galleon loaded with gold, silver and emeralds that sank off Colombia's coast in 1708. It was destroyed by the British during the War of the Spanish Succession, and almost 600 people onboard lost their lives. The ship's lucrative cargo, meant to fund the war, sank more than 600m to the seabed."

"Controversy recently resurfaced after the oversight group Veeduría Nacional para el Control Social del Patrimonio Cultural Sumergido de Colombia (VNPCS) to Colombia's attorney general, complaining of a lack of transparency and alleging looting and unauthorised interventions in 2016 and 2022. The letter also claims that the site's co-ordinates, considered a state secret, have been disclosed."

""Our claims were not resolved in court," Francisco Muñoz Atuesta, the director of VNPCS, tells The Art Newspaper. "However, they led to the galleon's designation as a cultural interest site in 2020, banning private involvement." MAC is now seeking compensation."

"In 2024, the San José was designated , placing it under the jurisdiction of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH). But while many celebrated this enhanced protection, Muñoz says previous problems were disregarded: "Accusations of looting and unauthorised interventions were raised in January 2021 via legal channels, but authorities ignored them.""

Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events