# Who has the right to the wreck and its cargo? · San José galleon > Five answers have been proposed. Colombia owns the wreck as submerged cultural heritage in its waters under Law 1675 of 2013. leads, with evidence 2 for… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:41+00:00 --- **0** # Who has the right to the wreck and its cargo? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·5 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: colombia owns the wreck as submerged cultural heritage in its waters under Law 1675 of 2013** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Five answers have been proposed. Colombia owns the wreck as submerged cultural heritage in its waters under Law 1675 of 2013. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Four claimants, three legal systems, one arbitration. The question decides whether the ship is excavated as heritage, salvaged for value, or left where it lies⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY43T19ED/recovery-of-the-holy-grail-of-shipwrecks-begins-amid-decades)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY4BM6XWF/colombia-prepares-for-us-20-billion-battle-over-san-jose). ## Answers 5 [**Colombia owns the wreck as submerged cultural heritage in its waters under Law 1675 of 2013.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYK0C5TKN/colombia-owns-the-wreck-as-submerged-cultural-heritage-in) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**The San José remains Spanish state property as a sunken warship with sovereign immunity.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYMQ21713/the-san-jose-remains-spanish-state-property-as-a-sunken) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYNY45749/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Sea Search Armada is entitled to half the treasure under the 2007 Supreme Court ruling because its 1982 find…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYKQT3R2X/sea-search-armada-is-entitled-to-half-the-treasure-under-the) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Disputed [**The silver is shared heritage of the Bolivian nations whose ancestors mined it at Potosí.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/answers/ANS0D4VYNEG2T3Z/the-silver-is-shared-heritage-of-the-bolivian-nations-whose) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 2023[Permanent Court of Arbitration: colombia argues the claims are time-barred and that SSA holds no investment; it says SSA never found the ship.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY4KE3TBZ/sea-search-armada-llc-v-republic-of-colombia-pca-case-no)Against: Sea Search Armada is entitled to half the treasure under the 2007 Supreme Court ruling because its 1982 find… 1. 2024[Reuters puts forward: the San José remains Spanish state property as a sunken warship with sovereign immunity.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY53222AK/indigenous-groups-claim-stake-in-sunken-spanish-ship-cargo) 1. 2024[Reuters puts forward: the silver is shared heritage of the Bolivian nations whose ancestors mined it at Potosí.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY53222AK/indigenous-groups-claim-stake-in-sunken-spanish-ship-cargo) 1. 2024[Reuters: spain treats the ship as a state vessel and an underwater grave not to be exploited commercially.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY53222AK/indigenous-groups-claim-stake-in-sunken-spanish-ship-cargo)For: The San José remains Spanish state property as a sunken warship with sovereign immunity. 1. 2024[Reuters: the Killakas, Carangas and Chichas peoples asked Spain and UNESCO in 2024 to declare the galleon common…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY53222AK/indigenous-groups-claim-stake-in-sunken-spanish-ship-cargo)For: The silver is shared heritage of the Bolivian nations whose ancestors mined it at Potosí. 1. 2026[U.S. Naval Institute puts forward: sea Search Armada is entitled to half the treasure under the 2007 Supreme Court ruling because its 1982 find…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY43T19ED/recovery-of-the-holy-grail-of-shipwrecks-begins-amid-decades) 1. 2026[U.S. Naval Institute: colombia located the wreck in 2015 at a position it says differs from SSA's, and has exercised control since.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY43T19ED/recovery-of-the-holy-grail-of-shipwrecks-begins-amid-decades)For: Colombia owns the wreck as submerged cultural heritage in its waters under Law 1675 of 2013. 1. 2026[U.S. Naval Institute: the 2007 ruling granted an equal split of anything at SSA's registered coordinates.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY43T19ED/recovery-of-the-holy-grail-of-shipwrecks-begins-amid-decades)For: Sea Search Armada is entitled to half the treasure under the 2007 Supreme Court ruling because its 1982 find… 1. 2026[Mendoza: the tribunal granted SSA an evidence-preservation protocol, which keeps the coordinates question live.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY4BM6XWF/colombia-prepares-for-us-20-billion-battle-over-san-jose)For: Sea Search Armada is entitled to half the treasure under the 2007 Supreme Court ruling because its 1982 find… 1. 2026[Mendoza: the tribunal refused Spain's amicus request at the jurisdictional phase.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4VY4BM6XWF/colombia-prepares-for-us-20-billion-battle-over-san-jose)Against: The San José remains Spanish state property as a sunken warship with sovereign immunity. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo%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/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo%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/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo%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/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo%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/QST0D4VYD4W4VHT/who-has-the-right-to-the-wreck-and-its-cargo%23add-source) Where it fits San José galleon **Who has the right to the wreck and its cargo?** Key question · you're here [What has actually been recovered, and where is it?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/san-jose-galleon/questions/QST0D4VYDCP66E3/what-has-actually-been-recovered-and-where-is-it)Most likely · recoveries so far are a small scientific sample under a published protocol, with chain of custody, held by… [ Ask a question under this one ]