# Why did the San José sink? · San José galleon > Three answers have been proposed. A British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up. leads, with evidence 1 for, 1 against: partly supported by… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:41+00:00 --- **0** # Why did the San José sink? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: a British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. A British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up. leads, with evidence 1 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters The explosion story shapes expectations of the wreck (a scattered site, cargo blown out); a hull failure would leave a different site and a different conservation problem. The 2025 archival review reopened the question⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del). ## Answers 3 [**A British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYFK05R3K/a-british-shot-reached-the-magazine-and-the-ship-blew-up) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Most likely [**The hull, overloaded and badly repaired, opened in the fight and she foundered.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYGAE7QHY/the-hull-overloaded-and-badly-repaired-opened-in-the-fight) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYH1W7DKP/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango puts forward: a British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del) 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango puts forward: the hull, overloaded and badly repaired, opened in the fight and she foundered.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del) 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango: the Spanish correspondence stresses the ship's poor condition and repairs rather than an explosion.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del)Against: A British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up. 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango: wager's journal and the British account describe her blowing up.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del)For: A British shot reached the magazine and the ship blew up. 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango: only fourteen survivors from about 600 is consistent with either a sudden loss or an explosion.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del)Against: The hull, overloaded and badly repaired, opened in the fight and she foundered. 1. 2025[Jaramillo Arango: the 2025 systematic review of the archives finds the hull-failure reading more plausible.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY2WR14FB/de-la-explosion-masiva-a-la-mala-reparacion-causas-del)For: The hull, overloaded and badly repaired, opened in the fight and she foundered. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYCN82NPV/why-did-the-san-jose-sink%23add-source) Where it fits San José galleon **Why did the San José sink?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]