Colombia's Ambitious Quest: Recovering the $20 Billion Sunken Treasure

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has ordered the exhumation of the San José shipwreck, known as the "holy grail of shipwrecks," which is believed to hold a treasure worth up to $20 billion. The ownership of the treasure is currently in legal limbo, with a court battle ongoing. President Petro wants the ship to be brought to the surface before his term ends in 2026 and has requested a public-private partnership to expedite the process. The treasure, consisting of gold, silver, and emeralds, was discovered by the US company Glocca Morra in 1981, but Colombia claims to have found the wreck at a different location in 2015. Glocca Morra, now called Sea Search Armada, is suing the Colombian government for half of the treasure, estimated at $10 billion.