Elsa Maishman (Reporter)
A BRITISH warship sunk by the Spanish off the coast of Uruguay in 1763 is set to be raised by an Argentine treasure-hunter.
The Lord Clive was blasted by cannon fire while attempting to reclaim the city of Colonia del Sacramento, a former British colony seized by the Spanish.
The wreck was found in 2004 by Argentinian Ruben Collado, who is set to recover it next month.
Collado is hoping to discover £1 billion in gold coins, as the six-story ship was equipped with the finances to wage war for four years.
He has stressed that raising the ship will be an important event for Latin American and Spanish history.
He said: “if that ship had not failed in its attempt to retake the city of Colonia del Sacramento, today we could be speaking English throughout Latin America.”
A team of 80 divers, technicians and support staff will work on raising the wreck, an operation expected to cost about £4 million.
And who will become the new owner of the cargo of the sunken ship: Uruguay, Great Britain, Spain or the Argentine team??
Another Royal Navy vessel sunken por la Real Armada española…los ingleses fueron sucesivamente masacrados en territorio continental americano por el Ejército español a lo largo de los siglos. Sólo pudieron mantener las colonias en pequeñas islas.
A former british colony? Colonia del Sacramento??.
Lol.
It was invaded by the british during and recovered just 3 years later. Thanks God the british were expelled over and over again from South America.
And that gold was stealed by the brits from Uruguay. They have nothing to claim here
Most probably all that gold was captured from the sinking of the Spanish Armada by a few British ships led by Drake after being upset by spoiling his game of bowls, so he decided to set fire to the Spanish ships before splitting the remaining Armada into two sections allowing them to fire at each other as they stood back laughing. Besides whoever claims the gold will need it more than the Brits. Hehehe.