Regarded as 'the Holy Grail of shipwrecks', the location of the vessel was finally pinpointed in 2015 by the Colombian Navy, and a salvage operation was announced in July 2018. The mission was halted following several legal issues, including the question of whether recovered treasures could pay for the search operation. But in June this year, researchers hailed their latest success as new underwater images revealed the extent of the treasure on board...
Experts believe that between $1 billion (£827m) and $20 billion (£16.5bn) worth of gold, silver, and emeralds could potentially be recovered from the wreck. The images have shown that items of historical significance are also waiting to be recovered, including Chinese dinner sets, cannons, and coins.
The wreck is currently being preserved with a view to being fully recovered in the future. But it's likely the Colombian rescuers could face legal challenges from Spain, as well as Bolivia's indigenous Qhara Qhara nation, due to conflicting claims over the treasure trove.