New artefacts have been uncovered on the 18th Century Spanish galleon dubbed the “holy grail of shipwrecks” off the coast of Colombia.

The San José ship belonged to the Spanish Navy  and was sunk by the British in 1708 as it was heading to Colombia’s port city Cartagena loaded with tonnes of gold and silver coins.

The shipwreck was discovered at a secret location in 2015 but the first robotic exploration only began in May 2024. It is estimated to be laden with as much as £16bn in treasure.

The researchers said the latest haul is an “unprecedented set of archaeological evidence”.