Colombia takes step toward recovering 200 tons of treasure from "holy grail" of shipwrecks

Colombia has taken a step toward recovering a long-lost Spanish wreck and its fabled riches, but it may be a rough ride as Spain and native Bolivians have also staked claims to the booty. Maritime experts consider the wreck of the San Jose to be the "holy grail" of Spanish colonial shipwrecks.

Long the daydream of treasure hunters worldwide, the wreck of the San Jose galleon was first located off Columbia's coast in 2015, but has been left untouched as the government determines rules for its recovery.

Colombia was a colony of Spain when the San Jose was sunk, and gold from across South America, especially modern-day Peru and Bolivia, was stored in the fort of its coastal city, Cartagena, before being shipped back to Europe.