0
US Scavengers Spot Legendary Warship
Tons of gold coins could be on board sunken British warship
By Laurel Jorgensen
|
Posted Feb 1, 09 6:30 PM CST
|
Share
(Newser)
–
A US company has found a prized, 18th century British warship that may be worth millions, the BBC reports. Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration says it has spotted the HMS Victory, a man-o-war that sank in the English Channel in 1744 and has been sought by scavengers ever since. "Very rarely do you solve an age-old mystery like this," said Odyssey CEO Greg Stemm.
The discovery could trigger a tussle with the British government: The ship, which carried valuable brass cannons and gold coins, was reportedly found in international waters. But as a military vessel, it belongs to Britain. Stemm says he's already in talks with British officials.