The Colombian government has announced plans to recover the San Jose, a sunken ship off the coast of Cartagena, which is believed to contain treasures worth up to $20 billion in today's money. Considered the "Holy Grail of shipwrecks," the San Jose was sunk by the British navy in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The ship, carrying 200 tonnes of silver, emeralds, and eleven million gold coins, was discovered by a team of navy divers in 2015 lying nearly 3,100 feet below the ocean's surface.

Pictures taken by the navy divers last year revealed that the wreck is remarkably well-preserved despite spending more than three centuries on the ocean floor. The Colombian government has stated that the recovery of the San Jose is a matter of urgency and aims to bring the ship above water before President Gustavo Petro ends his term of office in 2026.

However, the recovery operation is likely to be accompanied by a dispute over who should claim ownership of the treasure. In 1981, a US salvage consortium called Glocca Morra claimed to have located the San Jose, and they are currently suing the Colombian government for half of the treasure, amounting to $10 billion. Glocca Morra asserts that they provided the coordinates of the shipwreck to the Colombian authorities. Nevertheless, the Colombian government denies Glocca Morra's claim, arguing that they independently discovered the galleon with their team of divers in 2015 at a different location, which remains undisclosed.

Adding to the complexity of the ownership dispute, Spain and Bolivia's indigenous Qhara Qhara nation also assert their claims over the San Jose. They argue that the Spanish forced their people to mine the metals used in the treasure. With multiple parties laying claim to the ship and its treasures, a legal battle is expected to unfold following its recovery.

The San Jose's historical significance and the immense value of its cargo make it a highly coveted prize. The ship, armed with 62 guns and boasting three masts, sank after being intercepted by a British squadron on 8 June 1708. Out of the 600 sailors on board, only 11 survived. When it went down, the San Jose was transporting looted gold, silver, emeralds, and other precious stones and metals from the Americas to Spain.

Images recovered from the wreck last year offer a glimpse into the treasures lying beneath the ocean's depths. Among the visible artifacts are gold ingots and coins, muddy cannons made in Seville in 1655, and an intact Chinese dinner service. The bow of the ship is covered in algae and shellfish, while the remains of the hull frame are also visible. Porcelain crockery, pottery, and glass bottles give us a glimpse into life aboard the San Jose.

Colombian Minister of Culture Juan David Correa emphasized the importance of recovering the ship within the next two years, as directed by President Petro. "The president has told us to pick up the pace," he stated, underlining the government's commitment to reclaiming this historical treasure. As the legal battle and recovery efforts continue, the world eagerly awaits the resurrection of the San Jose and the unveiling of its long-lost riches.