An archaeologist believes that around 250 shipwrecks with lost treasures may be hidden in Portuguese waters, but left unprotected due to a lack of government intervention.
An underwater archaeologist has identified 8,620 shipwrecks in Portuguese waters, with around 250 believed to contain lost treasures. The discovery spans the coastal areas of mainland Portugal and the waters around the Azores and Madeira.
Alexandre Monteiro, a researcher from Nova University in Lisbon, revealed his findings, which are based on a detailed database he compiled of shipwrecks dating back to the 1500s when historical records became available.
“I’ve documented around 7,500 wrecks along the mainland coast, 1,000 near the Azores, and 120 near Madeira,” he told Portuguese news agency Lusa.
Monteiro estimates that roughly 250 of these wrecks contain lost treasures within Portugal’s territorial waters.
“I know, for instance, that off the coast of Troia, there’s a Spanish ship from 1589 called Nossa Senhora do Rosário. I’ve investigated its history and even know the name of the captain’s mother. Official records show it carried 22 tonnes of gold and silver,” he said.
When asked if the government is aware of this information, Monteiro said the details have been published, but no action has been taken.
“We know there are 250 treasure ships, and sooner or later, a construction project or something similar will uncover one of them. Yet, there’s no contingency plan to protect such discoveries,” he warned.
Monteiro also dismissed the risk of treasure hunters raiding these sites, explaining, “That’s unlikely, as most of the wrecks are buried under sand.”
