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¶ ¶
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¶ ¶
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BROADCASTER:
With up to a billion bucks
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of treasure on the line,
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this is going to be a fight
all the way to the finish.
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BROADCASTER:
So, who does it belong to?
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"We found it, it's ours,"
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says Florida salvage company
Odyssey Marine.
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The Spanish government says,
"We don't think so."
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BROADCASTER: Lawyer James Goold
is representing Spain
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in its legal battle
with Odyssey Marine.
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JAMES GOOLD: Sunken ships
are like time capsules.
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I've specialized
in protecting them
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from treasure hunting companies.
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Spain's history has been taken,
and we've got to get it back.
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But that doesn't mean that
a US judge has to agree with me.
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I've got to prove it.
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NEIL CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
As far as I'm concerned,
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it didn't belong to Spain.
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We were conducting
salvage operations
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in international waters.
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(boom)
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NARRATOR: At stake, not just
half a billion dollars,
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but a crucial question:
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Who owns history?
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The answer lies in a wreck over
half a mile under the waves.
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INTERVIEWER: What, for you,
is the difference
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between treasure hunting
and marine archaeology?
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
Well, there's the thing.
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(laughs)
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How long have we got?
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¶ ¶
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¶ ¶
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¶ ¶
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TOM DETTWEILER: We went out
in the Atlantic Ocean.
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The North Atlantic
has a tendency
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to be on the bad side,
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storms come across the ocean
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on a regular basis.
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It was a difficult area
to work in.
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But I have to say,
we'd gotten quite good at that.
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We had made modifications
to the ship over the years
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to help it operate better
under those conditions.
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And so we just went out
and started "mowing the lawn,"
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is what we call it,
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covering it with sonar,
looking for more wrecks.
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All of these searches
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are hours and hours and hours
of very tedious monitoring.
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But you can't let
your concentration stray.
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And we came across
quite a number of shipwrecks
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in that area.
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You know, a lot of these
shipwrecks were unidentified.
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So, we just kept doing that,
mowing the lawn,
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finding more wrecks.
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And then all of a sudden,
with the sonar,
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we came across little hard dots,
which represents a debris field.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
It didn't look like a shipwreck.
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Unless you knew
what you were looking for,
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you wouldn't give it
a second glance.
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So, we're gonna put
an ROV in the water,
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and we're gonna go down
and have a look at this.
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SEAN KINGSLEY: We're talking
1,100 meters to the seabed.
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That's twice the height
of the Empire State Building.
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After 150, 200 meters,
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the daylight disappears,
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it's complete darkness.
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DETTWEILER: We drove
towards the area with the ROV
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so that we tried to get a big
picture of what it looked like.
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KINGSLEY: Then suddenly Zeus
turns on its lights, and boom,
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there are these rocks
on the seabed,
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and the ROV crawls in.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON: When you
looked out the gloom
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and you saw down,
these molehills.
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DETTWEILER: The ROV operator,
he screamed, "That's coins."
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(laughs)
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And the room just exploded
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because everybody else had been
kind of afraid to say it.
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MAN 1: Look at that lot.
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MAN 2: Yes.
MAN 3: Wow.
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MAN 4: Yay!
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MAN 1: Thousands.
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DETTWEILER: Uh, yeah, there
were just coins everywhere.
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It was unbelievable.
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Greg and I had known each other
for quite a number of years.
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He would come out on the ship
with us quite often
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whenever he could get away
from the office
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for any period of time.
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He loves the adventure.
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GREG STEMM: Archaeologists
actually run our operations.
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But we're also
in a commercial business.
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We sell the duplicate coins.
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We'll make those available to
the public so they can own them.
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KINGSLEY: If you've got 50,000
coins which are all the same,
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put some in a museum, and sell
the rest to pay for the science
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and perhaps create
a bit of a profit.
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DETTWEILER: I think
we had investigated
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six targets that day.
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And so when you suddenly
had success, it's great joy.
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This was the last shipwreck
of the day.
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KINGSLEY: The site's a monster.
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It's 282 meters long,
100 meters wide.
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DETTWEILER: It represented
the size of a football pitch.
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It was unbelievable.
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And we just kept finding bundle
after bundle after bundle
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of coins.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON: And at this
time we know we're clicking,
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wow, this is
a lot of money here,
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this is hundreds of millions.
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But where's the rest
of the wreck?
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Where is it?
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Why have we got all these mounds
of coins and not any structure?
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KINGSLEY: The shipwreck
is something that has a keel,
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it has hull, you can make out
different clusters of material
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or pottery or cannon.
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But this was just scattered
as far as the eye could see.
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There is no part
of the structure of a ship.
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It's gone.
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And it's confusing, right?
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
So, then that's when
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the underwater detectives bit
comes in
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and read the map
and sees what it is.
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KINGSLEY: And Zeus started
to fly across the seabed,
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not touch anything,
just take photographs.
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(click)
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON: Click, click,
click, click, click, click,
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click, click, click, click,
click, taking pictures.
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DETTWEILER: It would oftentime
take two days, three days
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till we collected enough images
to stitch them together.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
I think, was it
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13, 14,000 images
in this photo mosaic.
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I thought wow.
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What have we got here?
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I've got this perfect map.
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It was unbelievable
to see these mounds.
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KINGSLEY: This is a massive
concentration of clumps of coins
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with copper ingots, bars of tin,
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and then some small finds.
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It's a strange mess.
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A random collection
of artifacts,
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as if you've thrown something
out of a hundred-story window.
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¶ ¶
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DETTWEILER: You know, initially,
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we can't even say
it's from one ship
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because it was scattered
so far and wide.
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KINGSLEY: And nobody has seen
anything like this before.
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How does a ship break up
in such a way
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to form in this manner,
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and what happened
to the rest of it?
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¶ ¶
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STEMM: Until we get more
artifacts up and identify it,
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all we know right now
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is that we found a shipwreck
with a bunch of coins on it.
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And that's not a bad thing,
no matter where they came from.
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(laughs)
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(telephone ringing)
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DELGADO: I got this call
out of the blue.
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Hello, Jim Delgado.
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It was Greg.
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Oh, hi, Greg. How are you?
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I don't know why Greg called.
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It surprised me.
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I met Greg Stemm
at a conference in the UK
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talking about shipwrecks
on the high seas
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and a new type of business model
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with selling the goods
of the past.
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But I didn't know the man
and I'd never worked with him,
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so I didn't have
much of a sense of Greg.
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He said he was at a site,
and the most amazing thing
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was that there was
no shipwreck, he said.
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It was as if somebody
had just discarded
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and thrown over chests of coins.
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Had I ever seen
a site like that?
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I said, "No, I never had."
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It seemed rather strange.
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I said, "Are they pattered
or positioned in a way
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that suggests that maybe a ship
fell over and capsized,
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or is there more
of a wreck buried?"
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He said,
"No, it's just this money."
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I said,
"Well, that's interesting.
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I've never seen
anything like that."
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And when I hung up, I wondered,
what was that all about?
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And that's the last
I thought of it for a while.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
Right away we knew
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that there's a lot of value
in these coins.
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So we decided on a methodology
for an excavation of the site.
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DETTWEILER:
We designed special tools
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to be able to protect these
very fragile clumps of coins
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or artifacts that we had
anticipated recovering.
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STEMM: Oh, wow!
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(laughing)
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DETTWEILER: There are just
tons of coins coming up
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coated in mud,
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and the archaeologists
would have to spend time
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sorting them out of the mud.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
This stuff's really worse
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than baby poo on a blanket.
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DETTWEILER: And then recording
all the details of each coin
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and giving it an artifact number
and logging it.
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You know, then it would go
into a bucket
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where we put a preserving fluid
to try to protect the coins
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as much as we could
till we could 'em ashore.
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And Greg was out there
every time the vehicle came up,
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and, you know, looking
at what we had brought up.
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STEMM: It's a lot
of coins down there.
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CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
What was very interesting
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about the coin collection
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is the damage on these coins
is obviously done
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through some traumatic force,
such as a huge explosion.
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So, I was trying to separate
the bent coins
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so that I could take them
to an expert on explosions
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and work out how did this coin
get bent like that.
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DETTWEILER: We didn't know
at the time,
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00:10:05,572 --> 00:10:09,608
but ultimately we recovered
17 tons of silver coins.
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00:10:09,610 --> 00:10:12,243
And we did it
in roughly three weeks.
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It's an unbelievable recovery.
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¶ ¶
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¶ ¶
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00:10:23,674 --> 00:10:26,524
NARRATOR: Odyssey decide
to fly the coins and artifacts
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00:10:26,526 --> 00:10:27,959
to the United States
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00:10:27,961 --> 00:10:31,129
and file a claim
on the treasure.
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00:10:31,131 --> 00:10:33,965
DETTWEILER: We quickly filled up
the cargo spaces of the plane,
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00:10:33,967 --> 00:10:36,401
and we still had buckets,
and so they went into seats
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and got individually strapped
into the seats.
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STEMM: This is so surreal.
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¶ ¶
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¶ ¶
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DETTWEILER: We had not seen
anything to identify the wreck.
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And so we kept referring to it
as the Black Swan,
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the code name
that we gave to it.
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KINGSLEY: At the time,
Greg was reading
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00:11:03,363 --> 00:11:06,364
Nassim Taleb's book
on the black swan.
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00:11:06,366 --> 00:11:10,268
A black swan event is something
that is completely unexpected
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00:11:10,270 --> 00:11:12,971
and utterly transforms
the world we live in.
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So, everything sort of
clicked into place.
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BROADCASTER: But deep-sea
explorers out of Tampa
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have struck gold for real.
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Divers for a company called
Odyssey Marine Explorations
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00:11:25,852 --> 00:11:28,103
found a ship that sank
in the Atlantic.
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BROADCASTER: 17 tons
of silver and gold coins.
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Up to $500 million.
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00:11:40,801 --> 00:11:43,768
ÁLVARO DE CÓZAR:
I think it was in 2007
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00:11:43,770 --> 00:11:46,938
that I read an article
in the newspaper
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that mentioned those words
"treasure hunters."
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And that immediately
meant something to me.
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00:11:54,147 --> 00:11:58,817
I mean, I was very attracted
to mysteries.
246
00:11:58,819 --> 00:12:00,218
I'm a journalist.
247
00:12:00,220 --> 00:12:04,322
I used to be a reporter
in El País,
248
00:12:04,324 --> 00:12:06,958
the biggest newspaper in Spain.
249
00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,128
I published a story
about the Black Swan.
250
00:12:10,130 --> 00:12:14,499
I called it "Pieces of Eight"
in honor to the Treasure Island,
251
00:12:14,501 --> 00:12:16,401
one of my favorite books.
252
00:12:16,403 --> 00:12:18,303
And, in fact, it was true.
253
00:12:18,305 --> 00:12:22,040
There were almost
500,000 pieces of eight.
254
00:12:22,042 --> 00:12:25,243
Three hours later,
we received a call
255
00:12:25,245 --> 00:12:29,080
from the Ministry of Culture
because they are really angry.
256
00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:32,784
They told us,
"We know that Odyssey
257
00:12:32,786 --> 00:12:36,621
has been looking for a treasure
258
00:12:36,623 --> 00:12:41,292
in an area very close
to Spanish waters,
259
00:12:41,294 --> 00:12:42,761
and we're just trying to prove
260
00:12:42,763 --> 00:12:47,398
if that treasure
belongs to Spain."
261
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,535
ELISA DE CABO:
It's very difficult
to express what we felt
262
00:12:50,537 --> 00:12:54,122
because we are against
treasure hunters companies
263
00:12:54,124 --> 00:12:59,344
because they just work
for private benefit.
264
00:12:59,346 --> 00:13:01,179
IVÁN NEGUERUELA:
I've been fighting against
265
00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:05,850
all the treasure hunters
companies every day of my life.
266
00:13:05,852 --> 00:13:09,654
And it's completely forbidden
to sell any object.
267
00:13:09,656 --> 00:13:12,624
That's what
the Spanish law says.
268
00:13:12,626 --> 00:13:14,425
DE CABO: There was
no time to be angry.
269
00:13:14,427 --> 00:13:16,027
I mean, we have to work,
270
00:13:16,029 --> 00:13:20,298
to show everyone that
the treasure belongs to Spain.
271
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:26,237
And, so, yes, the first reaction
was to go to court.
272
00:13:26,239 --> 00:13:29,407
So, we call our ambassador
in Washington,
273
00:13:29,409 --> 00:13:33,878
and the embassy helped us
to contact James Goold.
274
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,682
¶ ¶
275
00:13:37,684 --> 00:13:44,355
¶ ¶
276
00:13:44,357 --> 00:13:47,091
GOOLD: I got a call
from the Spanish Embassy
277
00:13:47,093 --> 00:13:50,094
within an hour of the newspapers
having shown up.
278
00:13:50,096 --> 00:13:54,165
And so the first thing I did
was get out the magnifying glass
279
00:13:54,167 --> 00:13:57,335
and look at every copy
of this photo that I could
280
00:13:57,337 --> 00:13:59,804
to see what the coins were.
281
00:13:59,806 --> 00:14:02,373
I noticed that
they had been changed
282
00:14:02,375 --> 00:14:06,077
to obscure the image
of whatever king it was.
283
00:14:06,079 --> 00:14:08,746
And so I couldn't tell
whether they were Spanish,
284
00:14:08,748 --> 00:14:11,516
British, French, or whatever.
285
00:14:11,518 --> 00:14:13,618
But it turned out that Odyssey
286
00:14:13,620 --> 00:14:18,656
had filed a lawsuit
a month before,
287
00:14:18,658 --> 00:14:22,060
an advert at the back
of a newspaper,
288
00:14:22,062 --> 00:14:26,531
saying that they had discovered
an unidentified vessel.
289
00:14:26,533 --> 00:14:29,968
That started a clock running
290
00:14:29,970 --> 00:14:32,337
under which if no one
came into court
291
00:14:32,339 --> 00:14:36,374
and disputed that Odyssey
was entitled
292
00:14:36,376 --> 00:14:38,877
to all of that material,
293
00:14:38,879 --> 00:14:42,380
then they could go to court
and say, "We're the owners."
294
00:14:42,382 --> 00:14:43,915
So, we couldn't sit
on our hands.
295
00:14:43,917 --> 00:14:45,750
We had to move fast.
296
00:14:53,276 --> 00:14:59,080
¶ ¶
297
00:14:59,082 --> 00:15:01,216
KINGSLEY: I got a call,
Greg was in town,
298
00:15:01,218 --> 00:15:02,517
"Would you like meet up?"
299
00:15:02,519 --> 00:15:05,019
And I thought, this is going
to be a painful meeting.
300
00:15:05,021 --> 00:15:06,521
You know, I'd read
the headlines.
301
00:15:06,523 --> 00:15:10,959
They were being trashed
in the national newspapers.
302
00:15:13,730 --> 00:15:15,330
So I met up with Greg.
303
00:15:15,332 --> 00:15:16,798
He was in very high spirits.
304
00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,867
He was delighted
with the publicity
305
00:15:19,869 --> 00:15:23,004
and obviously thought they had
a very strong position legally
306
00:15:23,006 --> 00:15:27,008
that they'd be able to retain
ownership of this material.
307
00:15:27,010 --> 00:15:30,578
DE CÓZAR: Spanish laws say
that you cannot earn money
308
00:15:30,580 --> 00:15:34,115
selling the cultural heritage.
309
00:15:34,117 --> 00:15:38,653
But Greg was someone that
believes everything is possible
310
00:15:38,655 --> 00:15:40,755
if you fight for that.
311
00:15:40,757 --> 00:15:41,723
MAN: We know it's a ship.
312
00:15:41,725 --> 00:15:43,558
STEMM: We know it's--
well, maybe.
313
00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:44,859
MAN: As opposed to?
314
00:15:44,861 --> 00:15:46,694
STEMM: Well, we've got
a lot of coins that we found
315
00:15:46,696 --> 00:15:48,329
in the bottom of the ocean.
316
00:15:48,331 --> 00:15:49,564
You know, it's amazing.
317
00:15:49,566 --> 00:15:52,333
Sometimes people just dump
things off of ships
318
00:15:52,335 --> 00:15:53,668
to prevent the ships
from sinking.
319
00:15:53,670 --> 00:15:54,769
It's happened.
320
00:15:54,771 --> 00:15:56,137
MAN: They're lightening it,
if you will.
321
00:15:56,139 --> 00:15:57,872
STEMM: Exactly.
322
00:15:57,874 --> 00:16:01,276
DE CÓZAR:
And Greg knew very well
323
00:16:01,278 --> 00:16:03,378
that if he wins this battle,
324
00:16:03,380 --> 00:16:06,047
if he could prove
there was no shipwreck,
325
00:16:06,049 --> 00:16:08,449
that the treasure
had just been discarded,
326
00:16:08,451 --> 00:16:10,618
then Spain
would not have a claim
327
00:16:10,620 --> 00:16:13,087
and it would all go to Odyssey.
328
00:16:13,089 --> 00:16:17,859
¶ ¶
329
00:16:17,861 --> 00:16:19,627
NARRATOR:
As the deadline approaches,
330
00:16:19,629 --> 00:16:22,797
James Goold contests
Odyssey's claim on the treasure
331
00:16:22,799 --> 00:16:26,167
in the Florida courts.
332
00:16:26,169 --> 00:16:29,837
DELGADO: Now what Spain has
to do is not only intervene,
333
00:16:29,839 --> 00:16:33,007
it has to prove
there's a shipwreck
334
00:16:33,009 --> 00:16:36,177
and that that shipwreck
belongs to them.
335
00:16:36,179 --> 00:16:38,980
And that the coins
were the king's money
336
00:16:38,982 --> 00:16:42,083
and part of the sovereign
property of Spain.
337
00:16:42,085 --> 00:16:44,252
GOOLD: By the end of that day,
338
00:16:44,254 --> 00:16:47,955
I dashed off a letter
to Odyssey's lawyer saying,
339
00:16:47,957 --> 00:16:52,093
"On behalf of Spain, please
inform us of what it is."
340
00:16:52,095 --> 00:16:55,997
And next Monday evening
I was on a plane to Madrid.
341
00:16:55,999 --> 00:17:00,335
¶ ¶
342
00:17:01,671 --> 00:17:08,276
¶ ¶
343
00:17:08,278 --> 00:17:15,249
¶ ¶
344
00:17:15,251 --> 00:17:17,151
DE CABO: We knew
we have to be very quick
345
00:17:17,153 --> 00:17:19,754
to identify the shipwreck.
346
00:17:19,756 --> 00:17:23,191
There was no time
to be angry or...
347
00:17:23,193 --> 00:17:24,292
or to cry.
348
00:17:24,294 --> 00:17:25,593
(laughs)
349
00:17:25,595 --> 00:17:28,496
We have to defend the heritage.
350
00:17:28,498 --> 00:17:31,566
¶ ¶
351
00:17:31,568 --> 00:17:34,669
GOOLD: I've got to prove
it was a Spanish shipwreck.
352
00:17:34,671 --> 00:17:35,970
So, the first question is,
353
00:17:35,972 --> 00:17:40,308
what had happened in history
at that spot?
354
00:17:40,310 --> 00:17:43,444
But Odyssey wouldn't reveal
the exactly location
355
00:17:43,446 --> 00:17:44,979
where they had been working.
356
00:17:44,981 --> 00:17:47,448
So, on that first trip
to Madrid,
357
00:17:47,450 --> 00:17:51,519
I sat down with the Spanish navy
to ask what they could find
358
00:17:51,521 --> 00:17:53,855
about the movements
of Odyssey's ships,
359
00:17:53,857 --> 00:17:54,922
because there are ways.
360
00:17:54,924 --> 00:17:57,692
There are GPS signal
tracking devices
361
00:17:57,694 --> 00:18:00,695
that every ship
is required to have.
362
00:18:00,697 --> 00:18:05,900
And, so, sure enough, there was
a record for Odyssey's ship.
363
00:18:05,902 --> 00:18:10,805
But once they got 20 or 30 miles
from Gibraltar,
364
00:18:10,807 --> 00:18:14,008
their signal went dark.
365
00:18:14,010 --> 00:18:17,979
So, then I thought, well,
something's going on here.
366
00:18:17,981 --> 00:18:23,351
But there were a few blips
that had still shown up,
367
00:18:23,353 --> 00:18:25,486
five or six of them,
368
00:18:25,488 --> 00:18:29,457
and there was a cluster of them
south of Portugal.
369
00:18:29,459 --> 00:18:32,059
So then I thought, okay,
370
00:18:32,061 --> 00:18:34,762
something had to happen
around here.
371
00:18:34,764 --> 00:18:39,467
So, then we started looking
in the history books.
372
00:18:39,469 --> 00:18:41,202
And in a very short time
373
00:18:41,204 --> 00:18:44,472
I found that there had been
an absolutely pivotal event
374
00:18:44,474 --> 00:18:49,377
in Spanish and world history
in October 5, 1804,
375
00:18:49,379 --> 00:18:53,414
what was called
the Battle of Saint Mary.
376
00:18:53,416 --> 00:18:57,318
DELGADO: At the time, Spain is
still a global, powerful empire,
377
00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:01,055
but its influence is waning.
378
00:19:01,057 --> 00:19:04,358
Spain had made a deal
that if they paid Napoleon
379
00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:06,928
a vast amount of money
each month,
380
00:19:06,930 --> 00:19:08,896
he wouldn't invade Spain.
381
00:19:08,898 --> 00:19:11,232
He'd focus
on invading Great Britain.
382
00:19:11,234 --> 00:19:15,436
So, it was a form
of protection money.
383
00:19:15,438 --> 00:19:17,772
And that's what sets up
this entire tale,
384
00:19:17,774 --> 00:19:21,042
because the king of Spain
needs more money.
385
00:19:21,044 --> 00:19:22,844
Where does he get that money?
386
00:19:22,846 --> 00:19:25,847
He gets it from his
Latin American colonies,
387
00:19:25,849 --> 00:19:28,850
and specifically orders
his warships
388
00:19:28,852 --> 00:19:33,488
to load silver from the mints
down in South America.
389
00:19:33,490 --> 00:19:36,324
And so they cross
the Atlantic.
390
00:19:36,326 --> 00:19:38,192
But what they haven't counted on
391
00:19:38,194 --> 00:19:40,828
is that fact
that there are spies.
392
00:19:40,830 --> 00:19:43,764
And in the United Kingdom,
393
00:19:43,766 --> 00:19:47,468
the decision is made
to stop those ships.
394
00:19:47,470 --> 00:19:51,172
¶ ¶
395
00:19:51,174 --> 00:19:56,377
A small British force of ships
intercepts the Spanish vessels,
396
00:19:56,379 --> 00:20:01,315
in what basically amounted
to high seas hijacking.
397
00:20:01,317 --> 00:20:02,950
A British ship called Amphion
398
00:20:02,952 --> 00:20:05,253
cuts across the line
of the Spanish ships,
399
00:20:05,255 --> 00:20:08,923
behind a Spanish vessel
called Mercedes.
400
00:20:08,925 --> 00:20:11,058
And the British navy opens fire.
401
00:20:11,060 --> 00:20:15,596
(cannons firing)
402
00:20:15,598 --> 00:20:20,134
(cannons firing)
403
00:20:20,136 --> 00:20:21,736
The single shot from Amphion...
404
00:20:21,738 --> 00:20:23,204
(boom)
(crash)
405
00:20:23,206 --> 00:20:25,840
...goes right through
the hull of Mercedes
406
00:20:25,842 --> 00:20:27,675
and lodges in the magazine,
407
00:20:27,677 --> 00:20:29,844
where all the gunpowder
is stored.
408
00:20:29,846 --> 00:20:35,483
In that moment, that powder
goes off in a massive explosion
409
00:20:35,485 --> 00:20:39,120
that tears the ship apart.
410
00:20:39,122 --> 00:20:40,922
Mercedes cracks open like an egg
411
00:20:40,924 --> 00:20:44,892
and spills her contents
into the sea...
412
00:20:44,894 --> 00:20:48,563
and rains debris
all over the ocean
413
00:20:48,565 --> 00:20:53,434
as well as onto
the nearby ships.
414
00:20:53,436 --> 00:20:55,670
Stunning doesn't
even really begin
415
00:20:55,672 --> 00:20:58,806
to convey the horror
of that moment.
416
00:20:58,808 --> 00:21:02,810
It is a war grave with 250 dead,
417
00:21:02,812 --> 00:21:05,580
including Spanish sailors,
marines,
418
00:21:05,582 --> 00:21:09,317
and the wives and the children
of Spanish officers.
419
00:21:09,319 --> 00:21:14,555
That loss of that ship
not only saw 250 lives taken,
420
00:21:14,557 --> 00:21:17,792
it saw Britain and it saw Spain
421
00:21:17,794 --> 00:21:19,727
return to a state of war,
422
00:21:19,729 --> 00:21:22,330
leading to a period
of tremendous civil unrest,
423
00:21:22,332 --> 00:21:24,999
the weakening
of the Spanish Empire.
424
00:21:25,001 --> 00:21:28,636
In just a year, the great
naval battle of Trafalgar
425
00:21:28,638 --> 00:21:31,072
is going to see the French
and Spanish fleets
426
00:21:31,074 --> 00:21:33,107
literally destroyed by Nelson.
427
00:21:33,109 --> 00:21:37,044
All of this hinges on what
happens on that spot of water
428
00:21:37,046 --> 00:21:40,414
back on October 5, 1804.
429
00:21:42,051 --> 00:21:44,719
GOOLD: Navy records
gave us the positions,
430
00:21:44,721 --> 00:21:48,556
which tells us that's
where the Mercedes sank.
431
00:21:48,558 --> 00:21:51,359
Then I turned and compared it
432
00:21:51,361 --> 00:21:54,795
to what we had learned
from those blips,
433
00:21:54,797 --> 00:21:58,599
and sure enough, bull's eye--
434
00:21:58,601 --> 00:22:03,070
the exact location where they
had been taking the coins.
435
00:22:05,341 --> 00:22:09,477
Well, it had to be the Mercedes,
but that's not gonna be enough
436
00:22:09,479 --> 00:22:13,014
to prove in court
what actually was there.
437
00:22:13,016 --> 00:22:16,617
I needed to see what was
on the bottom at the site,
438
00:22:16,619 --> 00:22:20,321
what Odyssey's
own records revealed.
439
00:22:20,323 --> 00:22:21,756
DELGADO:
Only Odyssey's own data--
440
00:22:21,758 --> 00:22:24,291
its photography
and the location of the site--
441
00:22:24,293 --> 00:22:28,029
could confirm for sure that
there's a shipwreck down there
442
00:22:28,031 --> 00:22:31,298
and if it's a naval vessel.
443
00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:34,669
The trouble was, they weren't
rushing to hand it over,
444
00:22:34,671 --> 00:22:40,274
and their ships were in a port
that Spain couldn't get to.
445
00:22:40,276 --> 00:22:43,577
DE CÓZAR: Gibraltar
is a place in dispute.
446
00:22:43,579 --> 00:22:47,114
It's a rock that is
in the land of Spain,
447
00:22:47,116 --> 00:22:49,717
but it belongs
to the United Kingdom.
448
00:22:49,719 --> 00:22:53,287
So, the Guardia Civil
couldn't go into Gibraltar
449
00:22:53,289 --> 00:22:55,723
to check the Odyssey Explorer.
450
00:22:55,725 --> 00:23:00,127
They had to wait till they
get out of the port.
451
00:23:00,129 --> 00:23:02,963
DETTWEILER:
The Spanish made it very clear
452
00:23:02,965 --> 00:23:04,932
that should we leave
that harbor,
453
00:23:04,934 --> 00:23:06,867
they would capture us.
454
00:23:14,744 --> 00:23:16,744
BROADCASTER: In 6-foot swells,
a Spanish government gunboat
455
00:23:16,746 --> 00:23:19,780
intercepts the salvage vessel
the Odyssey Explorer.
456
00:23:35,031 --> 00:23:39,834
DE CÓZAR: The Odyssey Explorer
had been in Gibraltar,
457
00:23:39,836 --> 00:23:41,669
I don't know, for months.
458
00:23:41,671 --> 00:23:44,438
And each day was
costing them a fortune
459
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,674
in running costs for the ship.
460
00:23:46,676 --> 00:23:49,477
So, they had to
eventually leave port
461
00:23:49,479 --> 00:23:52,480
even though they knew
they'd be captured.
462
00:23:52,482 --> 00:23:54,682
DETTWEILER: Sure enough,
both ships were seized,
463
00:23:54,684 --> 00:23:56,684
took 'em into Spanish ports,
464
00:23:56,686 --> 00:23:58,986
took a lot of things
off of the ship.
465
00:23:58,988 --> 00:24:00,788
We had, of course,
already stripped the ship
466
00:24:00,790 --> 00:24:03,023
of anything from the Black Swan.
467
00:24:03,025 --> 00:24:05,693
We did not have
any of the data drives
468
00:24:05,695 --> 00:24:08,596
or anything that had
the data in it on the ship.
469
00:24:08,598 --> 00:24:10,397
But they still took
all the data drives
470
00:24:10,399 --> 00:24:12,533
out of every computer
and things like that.
471
00:24:12,535 --> 00:24:14,435
So they were not
very nice about it.
472
00:24:14,437 --> 00:24:16,070
(laughs)
473
00:24:16,072 --> 00:24:18,305
DELGADO: Without Odyssey's
data and photography,
474
00:24:18,307 --> 00:24:21,041
it would be virtually impossible
for us to prove
475
00:24:21,043 --> 00:24:23,410
that this was
definitely the Mercedes.
476
00:24:23,412 --> 00:24:25,913
So, now the legal team
had to up the game
477
00:24:25,915 --> 00:24:29,984
to discover exactly where
Odyssey had been looking.
478
00:24:29,986 --> 00:24:33,387
The one thing I had learned from
my brief interactions with Greg
479
00:24:33,389 --> 00:24:37,491
was that he didn't do anything
without a lot of research.
480
00:24:37,493 --> 00:24:41,996
He didn't go unless he knew
what he was looking for
481
00:24:41,998 --> 00:24:44,398
and where he might
likely find it.
482
00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:51,005
¶ ¶
483
00:24:51,007 --> 00:24:55,810
¶ ¶
484
00:24:55,812 --> 00:24:58,746
VICTORIA STAPELLS: Not everybody
can read 16th century Spanish.
485
00:24:58,748 --> 00:25:02,449
Not everybody knows where
to look for those documents.
486
00:25:02,451 --> 00:25:05,986
Over a period
of more than 35 years,
487
00:25:05,988 --> 00:25:11,325
I have worked for many different
institutions as a researcher.
488
00:25:13,529 --> 00:25:19,800
In 2005, I was contacted
by someone from Odyssey.
489
00:25:19,802 --> 00:25:21,602
And they were interested
in knowing
490
00:25:21,604 --> 00:25:25,973
where a number of ships were
approaching the Bay of Cadiz.
491
00:25:25,975 --> 00:25:30,277
And at one point, we had
altogether 50 different ships
492
00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:34,048
for their database
for that one area.
493
00:25:34,050 --> 00:25:37,351
And then they became interested
in one particular ship,
494
00:25:37,353 --> 00:25:39,286
and all the most
detailed information
495
00:25:39,288 --> 00:25:43,958
that one could possible find
was of interest to them.
496
00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,127
When this story broke,
I felt absolutely horrified
497
00:25:47,129 --> 00:25:49,763
because my first job
is I'm a historian.
498
00:25:49,765 --> 00:25:52,733
I am not interested
in the treasure.
499
00:25:52,735 --> 00:25:57,438
I immediately contacted
the people in Odyssey by email.
500
00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:02,042
And they got back and they said,
oh, just relax, no problem,
501
00:26:02,044 --> 00:26:04,712
we have everything
under control.
502
00:26:04,714 --> 00:26:07,248
So I said, "Well,
it's not under control here."
503
00:26:07,250 --> 00:26:09,316
And every time
you turn the radio on,
504
00:26:09,318 --> 00:26:11,719
every time you turn
Spanish news on at night,
505
00:26:11,721 --> 00:26:13,587
every time you buy a newspaper,
506
00:26:13,589 --> 00:26:16,290
it was just on and on and on
and on and on and on.
507
00:26:16,292 --> 00:26:18,926
I mean, I was accused
of being a spy.
508
00:26:18,928 --> 00:26:20,761
And they said, "Oh, we
can't tell you anything.
509
00:26:20,763 --> 00:26:23,664
We're not about to say
what the ship is that we found
510
00:26:23,666 --> 00:26:25,733
or where exactly we are.
511
00:26:25,735 --> 00:26:28,969
But if you want,
we'll give you a hint."
512
00:26:28,971 --> 00:26:34,909
And they said it's something
to do with the make of a car.
513
00:26:34,911 --> 00:26:38,212
Well, of course, I knew that
they had found the Mercedes.
514
00:26:38,214 --> 00:26:41,548
GOOLD: Victoria Stappels'
statement was very useful
515
00:26:41,550 --> 00:26:45,686
because it confirmed
that Odyssey had set about this
516
00:26:45,688 --> 00:26:50,424
with a deliberate intention
of locating the Mercedes.
517
00:26:50,426 --> 00:26:55,930
Meanwhile, Greg Stemm is issuing
sworn statements under oath
518
00:26:55,932 --> 00:27:01,902
that they have no evidence that
would confirm what ship it was.
519
00:27:01,904 --> 00:27:03,404
DE CABO:
It was very hard to believe
520
00:27:03,406 --> 00:27:08,909
that they were all the time
denying it was la Mercedes.
521
00:27:08,911 --> 00:27:14,148
It was really strange for us,
something incredible to believe.
522
00:27:16,719 --> 00:27:19,253
GOOLD: So, I went back
and asked the court
523
00:27:19,255 --> 00:27:22,823
to consider doing
something about this.
524
00:27:24,727 --> 00:27:26,794
(chime)
525
00:27:26,796 --> 00:27:30,664
And sure enough,
an order comes from the judge
526
00:27:30,666 --> 00:27:32,333
that Odyssey has been
527
00:27:32,335 --> 00:27:36,170
"disingenuous and
utterly without merit."
528
00:27:36,172 --> 00:27:40,474
And Odyssey, after fighting it
and fighting it and fighting it,
529
00:27:40,476 --> 00:27:43,844
had to turn over
the photo mosaic
530
00:27:43,846 --> 00:27:48,849
and give me access
to their DVDs of the seabed
531
00:27:48,851 --> 00:27:50,884
and their photographs.
532
00:27:50,886 --> 00:27:53,454
And so there was
a very nice moment
533
00:27:53,456 --> 00:27:56,690
when finally
we could see the site.
534
00:28:01,197 --> 00:28:03,630
So, now we needed to show
535
00:28:03,632 --> 00:28:07,835
that right there on the seabed
was a shipwreck,
536
00:28:07,837 --> 00:28:11,472
something Odyssey
had denied all along.
537
00:28:19,031 --> 00:28:23,200
¶ ¶
538
00:28:23,202 --> 00:28:25,736
DELGADO: We were in Houston
at a meeting.
539
00:28:25,738 --> 00:28:29,406
And when the meeting was done,
Jim, in his quiet way said,
540
00:28:29,408 --> 00:28:31,975
"Got a second?
I want to ask you a question."
541
00:28:31,977 --> 00:28:37,014
GOOLD: I had these images, some
of which I couldn't understand
542
00:28:37,016 --> 00:28:39,683
and he could look at.
543
00:28:39,685 --> 00:28:43,053
And instantly
starts pointing out
544
00:28:43,055 --> 00:28:46,990
everything that I
had been puzzled by.
545
00:28:46,992 --> 00:28:50,294
¶ ¶
546
00:28:50,296 --> 00:28:52,596
DELGADO: This was a very
competently done job,
547
00:28:52,598 --> 00:28:55,532
which appeared to me to be
nothing more than a map
548
00:28:55,534 --> 00:28:57,267
for recovering the coins,
549
00:28:57,269 --> 00:28:59,369
and I'm not seeing
a wooden hull,
550
00:28:59,371 --> 00:29:02,539
but I wouldn't
after a few hundred years.
551
00:29:02,541 --> 00:29:05,509
You could see this was a chunk
of a section of hull,
552
00:29:05,511 --> 00:29:08,278
in one case with a cannon
tangled in it,
553
00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:12,850
meaning that was where
a gunport had been.
554
00:29:12,852 --> 00:29:14,685
A section of hardware
555
00:29:14,687 --> 00:29:19,089
from the rudder
that steered the ship.
556
00:29:19,091 --> 00:29:22,693
A chest of belongings
including candlesticks,
557
00:29:22,695 --> 00:29:25,395
silver platters,
things of that sort.
558
00:29:27,533 --> 00:29:31,468
GOOLD: So then we start taking
little Post-it markers
559
00:29:31,470 --> 00:29:35,038
and pasting them
all over the photo mosaic
560
00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:36,406
to keep track of them.
561
00:29:36,408 --> 00:29:39,443
¶ ¶
562
00:29:39,445 --> 00:29:43,947
¶ ¶
563
00:29:43,949 --> 00:29:45,015
DELGADO: And so,
as I looked at it,
564
00:29:45,017 --> 00:29:46,884
I said, "This is
a shipwreck site.
565
00:29:46,886 --> 00:29:48,118
It's clearly a shipwreck site.
566
00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:49,353
Look, look at this.
567
00:29:49,355 --> 00:29:53,757
There's a donut of debris,
thinner in the middle
568
00:29:53,759 --> 00:29:55,793
and very compact
around the sides."
569
00:29:55,795 --> 00:29:59,129
I said, "That's when
something explodes."
570
00:29:59,131 --> 00:30:02,800
¶ ¶
571
00:30:02,802 --> 00:30:05,235
GOOLD: We could see
that that was a shipwreck.
572
00:30:05,237 --> 00:30:07,437
But was it the Mercedes?
573
00:30:07,439 --> 00:30:10,440
DELGADO:
It was in the right place,
574
00:30:10,442 --> 00:30:12,910
from approximately
that time period,
575
00:30:12,912 --> 00:30:14,645
based on the type of ship,
576
00:30:14,647 --> 00:30:17,614
the type of fittings
and the guns.
577
00:30:17,616 --> 00:30:18,682
It felt good.
578
00:30:18,684 --> 00:30:20,851
It felt like the right answer.
579
00:30:20,853 --> 00:30:22,553
But, then again,
shipwreck stories
580
00:30:22,555 --> 00:30:25,355
almost always surprise you.
581
00:30:25,357 --> 00:30:28,492
GOOLD: I got used
to going through
582
00:30:28,494 --> 00:30:31,495
hundreds of hours of these DVDs
583
00:30:31,497 --> 00:30:34,765
of the running footage
of their ROV
584
00:30:34,767 --> 00:30:37,935
as it went back and forth
over the seabed.
585
00:30:37,937 --> 00:30:41,839
Hundreds of hours of waiting
for something to come into sight
586
00:30:41,841 --> 00:30:44,575
and then doing a screen grab.
587
00:30:44,577 --> 00:30:45,676
(click)
588
00:30:45,678 --> 00:30:48,111
And all of a sudden,
there comes into view
589
00:30:48,113 --> 00:30:54,351
a long, elegant fluted cannon,
and it's got very ornate handles
590
00:30:54,353 --> 00:31:00,090
that look like dolphins
or some kind of fancy dragon.
591
00:31:00,092 --> 00:31:02,793
And I go, oh, what?
592
00:31:02,795 --> 00:31:05,028
Those are medieval cannons
593
00:31:05,030 --> 00:31:09,233
two centuries out of sync with
everything else we're seeing.
594
00:31:09,235 --> 00:31:11,735
What's going on here?
595
00:31:11,737 --> 00:31:14,571
DELGADO: Were we wrong
about it being Mercedes?
596
00:31:14,573 --> 00:31:17,875
It felt like we were
back to square one.
597
00:31:17,877 --> 00:31:20,210
It was incredibly frustrating.
598
00:31:20,212 --> 00:31:22,312
GOOLD: Obviously
it was problematic.
599
00:31:22,314 --> 00:31:24,648
What was I gonna do?
600
00:31:24,650 --> 00:31:26,817
So I go back to Madrid
601
00:31:26,819 --> 00:31:28,318
to start going through
602
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,321
the Spanish museums
of medieval cannon
603
00:31:31,323 --> 00:31:36,260
with Elisa, looking
for matches of this.
604
00:31:36,262 --> 00:31:41,231
We're coming close,
but not quite.
605
00:31:41,233 --> 00:31:43,567
And then... (snap)
606
00:31:43,569 --> 00:31:44,835
Wait a minute.
607
00:31:44,837 --> 00:31:47,337
On the Mercedes manifest
608
00:31:47,339 --> 00:31:49,940
there's a specific record
609
00:31:49,942 --> 00:31:55,512
that the ship was carrying
two "cañones bronce inútiles,"
610
00:31:55,514 --> 00:32:00,651
useless, obsolete
bronze cannons.
611
00:32:00,653 --> 00:32:04,187
It's a smoking gun
that this is the Mercedes.
612
00:32:04,189 --> 00:32:06,757
How could it be
anything other than that?
613
00:32:06,759 --> 00:32:09,359
DE CABO: We organized
a press conference
614
00:32:09,361 --> 00:32:11,395
at the Ministry of Culture.
615
00:32:11,397 --> 00:32:14,498
We were all very excited,
I must admit.
616
00:32:14,500 --> 00:32:17,134
We were all very excited.
617
00:32:17,136 --> 00:32:19,836
We had very great news to give.
618
00:32:22,141 --> 00:32:24,608
GOOLD: It was the kind of thing
I'd never been through before,
619
00:32:24,610 --> 00:32:27,311
where you've got
press photographers
620
00:32:27,313 --> 00:32:30,814
rolling around on the floor
in front of you and so on.
621
00:32:30,816 --> 00:32:33,517
Well, the mystery is over.
622
00:32:33,519 --> 00:32:37,955
The coins and other artifacts
that Odyssey took from the site
623
00:32:37,957 --> 00:32:42,259
are documented to have been
on the Mercedes.
624
00:32:42,261 --> 00:32:43,794
We went public,
625
00:32:43,796 --> 00:32:48,832
and the world headlines were
"The mystery is over."
626
00:32:48,834 --> 00:32:52,569
We came flat out
and said it's the Mercedes.
627
00:32:52,571 --> 00:32:56,974
(indistinct conversations)
628
00:32:56,976 --> 00:32:58,775
¶ ¶
629
00:32:58,777 --> 00:33:01,812
CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON: Whilst we
were on the ship, for me,
630
00:33:01,814 --> 00:33:03,447
all the clues started to point
631
00:33:03,449 --> 00:33:07,451
towards this is
pretty much the Mercedes.
632
00:33:07,453 --> 00:33:08,618
INTERVIEWER:
Right from the start?
633
00:33:08,620 --> 00:33:09,920
CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON:
Yeah, for me anyways
634
00:33:09,922 --> 00:33:11,722
and the archaeologists
looking at it, yeah, yeah.
635
00:33:11,724 --> 00:33:14,358
It was fairly obvious
that they were Spanish cannon.
636
00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,227
Obviously, there's coins
saying "1804."
637
00:33:17,229 --> 00:33:19,596
And the coins were bent
'cause it blew up.
638
00:33:19,598 --> 00:33:23,166
That's pointing towards
it's the Mercedes.
639
00:33:23,168 --> 00:33:24,534
What else could it be?
640
00:33:24,536 --> 00:33:29,339
¶ ¶
641
00:33:29,341 --> 00:33:32,275
NARRATOR: Eventually, even
Odyssey begin to acknowledge
642
00:33:32,277 --> 00:33:34,478
that it might be the Mercedes.
643
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:38,348
But their lawyers
are not finished yet.
644
00:33:38,350 --> 00:33:40,884
DE CÓZAR: One day they said
to me that they were looking
645
00:33:40,886 --> 00:33:43,587
for the descendants
of the merchants
646
00:33:43,589 --> 00:33:47,090
that put all the gold
in the cargo of la Mercedes.
647
00:33:47,092 --> 00:33:50,727
¶ ¶
648
00:33:50,729 --> 00:33:55,098
KINGSLEY: There are 811,000
coins on the Mercedes,
649
00:33:55,100 --> 00:33:58,368
of which around 74%,
three quarters,
650
00:33:58,370 --> 00:34:03,273
belong to private individuals.
651
00:34:03,275 --> 00:34:04,641
If you find a merchant vessel,
652
00:34:04,643 --> 00:34:06,576
whatever is on it
and you claim it,
653
00:34:06,578 --> 00:34:10,330
if you can't find the owner,
everything belongs to you.
654
00:34:10,332 --> 00:34:12,115
BROADCASTER: After all this,
it might just come down
655
00:34:12,117 --> 00:34:14,951
to finders keepers,
losers weepers.
656
00:34:22,077 --> 00:34:28,982
¶ ¶
657
00:34:28,984 --> 00:34:33,320
DELGADO: At times, what it felt
like is you'd win some ground,
658
00:34:33,322 --> 00:34:38,859
but at every step of the way
a constant pushback.
659
00:34:40,596 --> 00:34:44,664
GOOLD: Takes a lot of work
to come in and prove it.
660
00:34:44,666 --> 00:34:47,601
Years of litigation.
661
00:34:47,603 --> 00:34:51,538
How could a US court say
no, no, no, finders keepers,
662
00:34:51,540 --> 00:34:53,840
never mind Spanish history?
663
00:34:53,842 --> 00:34:57,577
But that doesn't mean that
a US judge has to agree with me.
664
00:34:57,579 --> 00:35:03,383
¶ ¶
665
00:35:03,385 --> 00:35:10,157
¶ ¶
666
00:35:10,159 --> 00:35:15,395
DE CÓZAR: Greg knew very well
that if he win this battle
667
00:35:15,397 --> 00:35:19,032
he would change the story
of archaeological treasures
668
00:35:19,034 --> 00:35:21,435
in the deep ocean.
669
00:35:21,437 --> 00:35:23,870
GOOLD: What would happen
on the final day?
670
00:35:28,177 --> 00:35:30,243
(chime)
671
00:35:30,245 --> 00:35:35,482
And then the decision
of the senior judge in Tampa
672
00:35:35,484 --> 00:35:37,918
came in by email.
673
00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,821
"The ineffable truth
of this case
674
00:35:40,823 --> 00:35:42,322
is that the Mercedes
675
00:35:42,324 --> 00:35:47,461
is a natural and legal
patrimony of Spain."
676
00:35:47,463 --> 00:35:49,529
We won. We won.
677
00:35:49,531 --> 00:35:52,065
Well, then,
I called Elisa immediately.
678
00:35:53,635 --> 00:35:58,004
And then there were, there were
some yells and shouts.
679
00:35:58,006 --> 00:35:59,973
Mm-hmm, yeah.
680
00:35:59,975 --> 00:36:01,608
DE CABO: It was a victory, yes.
681
00:36:01,610 --> 00:36:04,644
It was a great victory,
yes, yes.
682
00:36:04,646 --> 00:36:08,815
NEGUERUELA: My strongest feeling
was good lord, that's fantastic.
683
00:36:08,817 --> 00:36:14,921
One man is not the owner
of our common heritage.
684
00:36:14,923 --> 00:36:21,361
Every one of us are the owners
of the historical heritage.
685
00:36:21,363 --> 00:36:23,263
DE CÓZAR: The judge
said that the treasure
686
00:36:23,265 --> 00:36:26,132
should go back to,
to, to Spain, yeah.
687
00:36:26,134 --> 00:36:31,571
¶ ¶
688
00:36:31,573 --> 00:36:35,175
GOOLD: As the judge said
at the end of this process,
689
00:36:35,177 --> 00:36:39,012
"There had been
a continuous core campaign
690
00:36:39,014 --> 00:36:45,552
of bad faith, deception,
and deflection."
691
00:36:45,554 --> 00:36:48,255
The one good thing
that one can say here
692
00:36:48,257 --> 00:36:50,690
is it had a positive outcome
693
00:36:50,692 --> 00:36:54,060
and the lesson
is there to stand.
694
00:37:00,035 --> 00:37:05,138
¶ ¶
695
00:37:05,140 --> 00:37:08,208
DETTWEILER: Just to have
the court turn against us
696
00:37:08,210 --> 00:37:11,945
and to lose a battle that we
thought we would surely win,
697
00:37:11,947 --> 00:37:14,548
it was a devastating impact
to the company.
698
00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:20,086
CUNNINGHAM-DOBSON: I thought
it was unfair and unjust,
699
00:37:20,088 --> 00:37:23,490
and I genuinely feel sorry
for Odyssey
700
00:37:23,492 --> 00:37:26,793
and the way they were treated.
701
00:37:26,795 --> 00:37:29,896
DE CÓZAR: This decision was
crucial for their business.
702
00:37:29,898 --> 00:37:32,766
So, Odyssey couldn't
just give up.
703
00:37:32,768 --> 00:37:35,402
They had to appeal
the court's decision,
704
00:37:35,404 --> 00:37:39,539
and they were going to do
as much as they could
705
00:37:39,541 --> 00:37:41,641
to keep the treasure.
706
00:37:41,643 --> 00:37:43,610
BROADCASTER:
The deep-sea treasure hunting
company Odyssey
707
00:37:43,612 --> 00:37:47,113
says it will appeal a ruling
this week by a Florida judge.
708
00:37:47,115 --> 00:37:49,115
The judge ordered it
to hand over to Spain
709
00:37:49,117 --> 00:37:52,619
a half million dollars' worth
of gold and silver coins.
710
00:37:52,621 --> 00:37:58,491
¶ ¶
711
00:37:58,493 --> 00:38:03,296
GOOLD: But the day came when
they had to turn over the coins
712
00:38:03,298 --> 00:38:06,132
and other objects
that they had in the US.
713
00:38:06,134 --> 00:38:07,567
The Spanish Air Force
714
00:38:07,569 --> 00:38:12,539
had agreed to send two
Hercules military cargo planes.
715
00:38:12,541 --> 00:38:15,375
The coins were put
on the aircraft.
716
00:38:15,377 --> 00:38:18,411
So, as we packed up
at MacDill Air Force Base
717
00:38:18,413 --> 00:38:21,214
and the ramp of the plane
comes up,
718
00:38:21,216 --> 00:38:24,084
I've still got this worry
about, well, what happens
719
00:38:24,086 --> 00:38:26,286
if the Supreme Court decides
720
00:38:26,288 --> 00:38:28,455
there should be
a stay of execution?
721
00:38:28,457 --> 00:38:30,890
¶ ¶
722
00:38:30,892 --> 00:38:33,994
(radio chatter)
723
00:38:33,996 --> 00:38:37,697
There came a point just as we
were leaving US air space
724
00:38:37,699 --> 00:38:40,200
that I could get through,
and I start yelling,
725
00:38:40,202 --> 00:38:42,469
"Are we okay? Are we okay?
Are we okay?"
726
00:38:48,493 --> 00:38:53,563
(radio chatter)
727
00:38:53,565 --> 00:38:55,932
GOOLD: By the time we got
to Newfoundland,
728
00:38:55,934 --> 00:38:59,035
I'm yelling over this terrific
din of the propellers
729
00:38:59,037 --> 00:39:01,338
and the vibration in this plane,
730
00:39:01,340 --> 00:39:06,376
"Are we clear?
Is the coast clear?"
731
00:39:06,378 --> 00:39:08,511
And I hear, "You're okay.
You're okay".
732
00:39:08,513 --> 00:39:09,646
And that was that.
733
00:39:14,553 --> 00:39:18,621
And then two planes, which had
taken separate routes,
734
00:39:18,623 --> 00:39:23,827
arranged to land, meet and land
wingtip to wingtip.
735
00:39:23,829 --> 00:39:25,995
And then the immediately
the Guardia Civil
736
00:39:25,997 --> 00:39:29,499
took security control
of everything.
737
00:39:29,501 --> 00:39:34,070
¶ ¶
738
00:39:34,072 --> 00:39:35,638
NEGUERUELA: The day
that the coins came back
739
00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:37,841
to the airport of Madrid
740
00:39:37,843 --> 00:39:39,976
was a fantastic day.
741
00:39:39,978 --> 00:39:43,346
The Guardia Civil
accompanied all the coins
742
00:39:43,348 --> 00:39:46,950
in trucks with some helicopters.
743
00:39:46,952 --> 00:39:48,118
It was very spectacular.
744
00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:53,556
¶ ¶
745
00:39:53,558 --> 00:39:55,859
STAPELLS: That was big news.
746
00:39:55,861 --> 00:40:00,096
So, for me, once again the whole
story sort of comes up again.
747
00:40:00,098 --> 00:40:03,199
¶ ¶
748
00:40:03,201 --> 00:40:04,801
DE CABO: It was
a very special moment,
749
00:40:04,803 --> 00:40:06,936
and it's something so unusual.
750
00:40:06,938 --> 00:40:11,274
I mean, we were waiting
for five years.
751
00:40:13,478 --> 00:40:15,378
GOOLD: I was part
of the motorcade
752
00:40:15,380 --> 00:40:19,315
to take it down to downtown
Madrid to a secure facility.
753
00:40:19,317 --> 00:40:21,317
Let's remember that,
at the end this case,
754
00:40:21,319 --> 00:40:26,156
our objective was to get all
of those buckets back to Spain.
755
00:40:26,158 --> 00:40:29,259
It took all of this time
and all of this money
756
00:40:29,261 --> 00:40:30,827
and all of this effort.
757
00:40:30,829 --> 00:40:33,897
It was a great relief. Mm-hmm.
758
00:40:33,899 --> 00:40:36,299
By then, I was in a daze.
759
00:40:36,301 --> 00:40:37,634
(door slams)
760
00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:45,442
NARRATOR: Two years later,
Odyssey is fined $1 million
761
00:40:45,444 --> 00:40:47,444
for, in the words of the judge,
762
00:40:47,446 --> 00:40:50,563
"bad faith and
abusive litigation."
763
00:40:50,565 --> 00:40:54,150
As one chapter in the story
of the Mercedes closes,
764
00:40:54,152 --> 00:40:56,252
another is starting.
765
00:40:56,254 --> 00:40:58,822
NEGUERUELA: We have won
the legal battle.
766
00:40:58,824 --> 00:41:02,659
Now we are obliged to win
the scientific battle.
767
00:41:02,661 --> 00:41:07,864
¶ ¶
768
00:41:07,866 --> 00:41:11,034
¶ ¶
769
00:41:11,036 --> 00:41:18,074
At 8 o'clock in the morning,
the first day,
770
00:41:18,076 --> 00:41:20,410
we put the ROV in the water.
771
00:41:25,617 --> 00:41:27,350
And it began
to descend, descend,
772
00:41:27,352 --> 00:41:30,553
until 1 kilometer, 140 meters.
773
00:41:32,791 --> 00:41:35,425
And it was going
down, down, down
774
00:41:35,427 --> 00:41:37,794
in the very middle of the wreck.
775
00:41:37,796 --> 00:41:39,829
It was fantastic.
776
00:41:39,831 --> 00:41:44,467
We discovered several iron
cannons and bronze cannons,
777
00:41:44,469 --> 00:41:47,537
two culverins.
778
00:41:47,539 --> 00:41:50,940
A concentration
of silver objects.
779
00:41:54,946 --> 00:41:57,213
And we have discovered
the back of a fork
780
00:41:57,215 --> 00:42:01,150
with the initials
of the captain of the ship.
781
00:42:01,152 --> 00:42:07,123
The captain was
Don José, "J," Goicoa.
782
00:42:13,665 --> 00:42:16,399
When you think that that fork
783
00:42:16,401 --> 00:42:19,102
was in the hands
of Don José Goicoa,
784
00:42:19,104 --> 00:42:23,706
we said, good lord, good lord,
this is the very, very proof
785
00:42:23,708 --> 00:42:29,178
that we are in the same ship
of the archive of Seville.
786
00:42:29,180 --> 00:42:33,550
No doubt this is the Mercedes.
787
00:42:33,552 --> 00:42:36,386
DE CABO:
La Mercedes was a tragedy.
788
00:42:36,388 --> 00:42:38,788
That's why it was decided
789
00:42:38,790 --> 00:42:43,560
to install
a commemorative plaque
790
00:42:43,562 --> 00:42:48,331
to the people that died
at that explosion.
791
00:42:48,333 --> 00:42:53,136
¶ ¶
792
00:42:53,138 --> 00:42:56,773
DELGADO: And the wreck site
itself had meaning
793
00:42:56,775 --> 00:43:01,978
for descendants of those
who had died on that ship.
794
00:43:01,980 --> 00:43:04,414
It doesn't matter
how far back it goes,
795
00:43:04,416 --> 00:43:07,350
families remember these events
796
00:43:07,352 --> 00:43:12,288
because suddenly a ship is sunk
and nobody comes home.
797
00:43:16,077 --> 00:43:18,428
It's the story of officers
standing on a deck
798
00:43:18,430 --> 00:43:21,731
on a nearby ship
watching in horror
799
00:43:21,733 --> 00:43:26,069
as their wives and their
children disintegrated.
800
00:43:26,071 --> 00:43:28,104
The British sailors
standing there in shock
801
00:43:28,106 --> 00:43:32,375
as a simple shot from Amphion
sets off the magazine,
802
00:43:32,377 --> 00:43:35,278
and Mercedes explodes
with such violence.
803
00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,880
And of everything
that played out after that
804
00:43:37,882 --> 00:43:42,652
that profoundly changed
the course of history for Spain
805
00:43:42,654 --> 00:43:46,356
and potentially
for all of Europe.
806
00:43:46,358 --> 00:43:50,059
And that is the story of
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes.
807
00:43:50,061 --> 00:43:52,495
That's what it's all about.
808
00:43:52,497 --> 00:43:54,097
Not coins.
809
00:43:54,099 --> 00:44:00,503
¶ ¶
810
00:44:00,505 --> 00:44:07,310
¶ ¶
811
00:44:07,312 --> 00:44:14,117
¶ ¶
812
00:44:14,119 --> 00:44:20,823
¶ ¶
813
00:44:20,825 --> 00:44:22,725
Captioned by
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