Pirates & Shipwrecks · Spanish galleon, 1708
San José galleon
Off Cartagena, Colombia
What happened
The San José was a large Spanish warship carrying gold, silver and emeralds from South America. On 8 June 1708, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a British squadron attacked the Spanish fleet near Barú Island, off Cartagena, Colombia. The San José sank during the battle.
Why it matters
Its cargo is thought to be one of the most valuable ever lost at sea, and much of the silver came from the mines of Potosí in present-day Bolivia. It has been called the Holy Grail of shipwrecks.
What came next
The Colombian Navy found the wreck about 600 metres deep in November 2015. Colombia, Spain, a salvage company and Indigenous groups from Bolivia have all made claims to it.
Did you know?
The San José was launched in the Basque Country, Spain, in 1698.
Timeline
- 1698The San José is launched in the Basque Country, Spain.
- 8 June 1708The ship sinks near Barú Island during a battle.
- 27 November 2015The Colombian Navy locates the wreck.
- 5 December 2015Colombia's president announces the discovery.
- 2024A robotic survey of the site begins.