British treasure hunters have found
a chest which could contain $163m (£125m) worth of Nazi
gold.
The casket was located in the post
room of the SS Minden, a Nazi ship which was at the bottom of the Atlantic
Ocean just off Iceland.
There are claims the cargo ship was
used to transport gold from banks in South America to Nazi Germany when it sank
in 1939.
After being intercepted by a British
ship, SS Minden was scuttled by its own crew to prevent allied troops
capturing it.
 |
| sister ship to Minden |
It is believed that it contains approximately four tons of valuable metal.
AMS had fallen foul of Iceland’s rules when searching for the treasure, which was located 120 miles from the shore.
The crew of the Seabed Constructor, which was used to conduct the investigation, were ordered back to Iceland for not having the necessary licence.
They are now claiming the contents belong to the finder and are awaiting a decision from Icelandic officials on the legal owner of the wreckage and the haul.
The ship set off from Brazil in 1939, just days after
World War II broke out, apparently to deliver gold from South American banks to
Germany, the newspaper recounted.
British naval forces spotted the ship and, rather than see the
cargo seized, the Minden's captain sank the vessel — supposedly on orders
from Adolf Hitler, no less.
Now the U.K.-based Advanced Marine Services, whose
crew found the box, wants permission from Iceland's government to cut a
hole in the ship's hull and remove the chest, claiming its contents belong to
its finder, the Sun reported. [Of course, until the chest is actually found and opened, what it might or might not contain is purely conjecture - ed.]
According to the newspaper, Icelandic officials were to
declare just who owns the wrecked ship, which lies 120 miles southeast of
Iceland in the Atlantic Ocean.
Stay tuned - I am sure there is more to follow!
Until next time,
Fair Winds,
Old Salt
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