Two American archaeologists claim they have found the resting place of a Portuguese ship from 1721 that was carrying $138 million in treasure near the Madagascar coast.
When the ship, known as the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, embarked from India with a viceroy, the Archbishop of Goa, 200 slaves, and treasure onboard, a pirate named Olivier “The Buzzard” Levasseur took the opportunity to lead an ambush of the vessel. The pirates then sailed it hundreds of miles, Popular Mechanics reported Wednesday.
Over 300 years later, the archaeologists believe they have found the ship’s resting place on the seafloor near the island of Nosy Boraha, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
The two archaeologists with the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation, identified as Brandon Clifford and Mark Agostini, say they have found more than 3,300 artifacts at the site. Although the find has not been confirmed by any other groups, Clifford said evidence points to it being the ship.
The Mechanics report continued:
The loot—dubbed “an eye-watering treasure, even by pirate standards,” according to the hunters—would fetch at least $138 million in today’s money, they pair claimed, with records noting gold and silver bars, coins, silks, and more than 400 gemstones, including 110 diamonds and 250 emeralds, part of the ship’s store, as reported by ZME Science. Denis Piat, in his 2014 book “Pirates & Privateers in Mauritius,” wrote the ship carried blocks of gold and chests crammed full of pearls, Live Science reported.
After years of meticulous searching, the archaeologists said they found statues of the Virgin Mary, plaques honoring Jesus Christ, pottery fragments, and gold coins with Arabic inscriptions.
It is important to note that after the pirates took control of the ship and grabbed some of the treasure, they apparently ransomed the viceroy, the Smithsonian Magazine article said, adding that the fate of the slaves and the archbishop is unknown.
There have been similar discoveries in recent years. In 2018, an underwater robot found the shipwreck of a Spanish vessel that was over 300 years old and held treasure worth billions of dollars, per Breitbart News.
In July 2024, P0lish divers located an 1800s shipwreck carrying champagne.
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