Spanish galleon San José

San José (centre-left) exploding during Wager's Action
History
Spain
NameSan José
BuilderPedro Arostegui (contractor), Mapil (Usurbil)
Laid down1697
Launched1698
FateDestroyed during the Battle of Barú (Wager's Action), 8 June 1708. 9°35′00″N 76°15′25″W / 9.5833°N 76.2569°W / 9.5833; -76.2569
General characteristics
TypeGalleon
Tons burthen1,051 tons
Length71.00 codos (of 418 mm) lower deck length; 60.18 codos (of 418 mm) keel length
Beam21.91 codos
Draught11.75 codos estimated
Depth of hold10 codos
PropulsionSails
Armament
  • 64 guns:
  • Lower gundeck: 26 × 18-pounders
  • Middle gundeck: 26 × 10-pounders
  • Quarterdeck and Forecastle: 12 × 6-pounders

San José was a 64-gun galleon of the Spanish Navy. It was launched in 1698 and sank in battle off Barú Island, just south of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1708, while laden with gold, silver and emeralds worth about US$17 billion as of 2023.

The sunken ship was located at a depth of 600 meters by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in November 2015. In July 2017, it was announced that a salvage operation managed by the Colombian government would proceed.