Long-Lost Shipwreck Loaded With $13 Million Gold Found in African Desert
A long-lost Portuguese shipwreck, the Bom Jesus, has been found in the desert sands of Namibia, loaded with $13 million worth of treasure.
The Bom Jesus disappeared in 1533 after being caught in a fierce storm while sailing from Lisbon to India. It vanished without a trace for nearly 500 years.
Diamond miners working for De Beers stumbled upon the shipwreck during routine mining operations. They drained a man-made lagoon and discovered the wreck beneath the sand.
The treasure included thousands of gold coins, bronze cannons, copper ingots, elephant tusks, and even swords and muskets—making it one of the most valuable shipwreck discoveries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Chief archaeologist Dr. Dieter Noli had been advising miners for over a decade to look out for shipwrecks in the area, believing a historic find was possible.
The excavation took over a week, and a chest filled with gold coins was uncovered on the sixth day—nearly 2,000 coins in total, mostly Spanish and Portuguese.
The copper ingots aboard the Bom Jesus helped preserve many artifacts, shielding them from marine creatures that would have otherwise consumed the wreck over the centuries.
The ship likely capsized after being pulled too close to shore by a storm, causing it to strike rocks. Over time, the sea receded, leaving the ship entombed in desert sand.
The Namibian government took possession of the treasure, as is standard procedure when a wreck is found on national grounds.
In a generous move, Portugal, which legally had rights to the ship, relinquished its claim, allowing Namibia to keep the entire $13 million discovery.