Tuesday, 13th May 2008 (518 views)

Intrepid treasure hunters have discovered two "spectacular" pieces of gem-studded gold jewellery off the coast of Florida, it has been reported.

According to tcpalm.com, the finds were recovered by from a sunken ship at the site of a sunken 1715 fleet known as the Corrigans by Captain Greg Bounds of the ship MV Gold Hound and a subcontractor from Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum in Key West.

Nichole Abt, the museum's office manager and granddaughter of its late founder told the site it was a "good sign" to find gold so early in the summer treasure hunting season when waters off the coast off Florida's Indian River County are clear and calm.

"There are only 100 workable days at sea and the season has just started," she added.

Ms Abt noted that the pieces recovered from the Corrigans will be preserved and displayed at the museum for the remainder of the summer.

Around 11 Spanish ships are thought to have sunk in the Corrigans region during a hurricane in July 1715.

Mel Fisher, a former US Army engineer and self-styled "world's greatest treasure hunter", dedicated 16 years of his life to searching for the treasure of the lost Spanish galleon Atocha before finally hitting his own mother lode in 1985.

Mr Fisher recovered over 40 tonnes of treasure from the Atocha, which was valued at the time at $450 million (£231.13 million).

 

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