Beneath the turquoise waters off Madagascar, a centuries-old mystery has finally surfaced. Marine archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a legendary treasure ship—once seized by pirates and swallowed by the sea more than 300 years ago. And it’s bursting with secrets, gold, and a tale of high-seas hijacking straight out of a pirate epic, reports GB News.
A Stolen Fortune, Frozen in Time
The ship, originally a Portuguese vessel sailing from Goa to Lisbon, never reached its destination. In 1721, it was intercepted by pirates off the coast of Réunion Island. History points to the infamous pirate Olivier “La Buse” Levasseur as the likely mastermind behind the ambush. Laden with riches from colonial India, the ship was diverted to the pirate haven of Île Sainte-Marie—then known as Nosy Boraha.
But instead of living forever off their loot, the pirates left behind a sunken legacy.
Gold, Relics, and Porcelain Dreams
After nearly two decades of underwater digging, archaeologists recovered more than 3,300 artifacts from the wreck. These weren’t just scraps of a forgotten ship—they were treasures that told stories.
Among the finds: gleaming gold coins etched with Arabic script, hand-painted porcelain from Asia, and sacred relics including ivory figurines and wooden crosses. The vessel’s cargo wasn’t just valuable—it was sacred, global, and stolen.
The estimated modern value of the find? A jaw-dropping $138 million.
Piecing Together a Sunken Story
The excavation wasn’t easy. Mapping, diving, documenting, and preserving the fragile remains of the ship took years. Divers found hull fragments, ballast stones, and intact containers that had protected the treasure from tides and time. Even now, more artifacts remain buried under layers of silt, awaiting their moment to rejoin history.
Île Sainte-Marie was more than a scenic paradise—it was a pirate sanctuary during the Golden Age of Piracy. With natural coves and minimal colonial interference, it attracted notorious figures and served as the final resting place for many ships. Locals still speak of hidden treasures buried beneath the waves—and this discovery suggests those legends might be more than myths.
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Source: GB News
