How often did we hear stories about “buried treasure” as children? — “X marks the spot,” they’d say. To our disappointment though, as we grew older we eventually learned how cliché it all was. But every cliché has to start somewhere and no matter how fictional a story sounds, there’s almost always a nugget of truth inside.
According to experts, about 95 percent of the earth’s oceans have yet to be explored. And some adventurers are set on uncovering the vast majority of uncharted territory, as well as the treasures that might be buried within. So in July 2018, a team of experts from around the world came together in an effort to explore our mysterious oceans. While searching the sea floor, the team stumbled upon an incredible treasure that had been lying dormant for 113 years.
Hunting for Shipwrecks
In July 2018, a team of experts from South Korea, Britain, and Canada came together to help a maritime salvage company search of fabled shipwrecks that still haven’t been found in the Sea of Japan. According to the team, they used two-manned submersibles to explore the seabed.
The Search Begins
On Sunday, July 15, 2018, the team sent divers down into the water in the submersibles to begin the hunt for shipwrecks. Just under a mile off the coast of Ulleungdo, a South Korean island in the Sea of Japan, the crew made their first discovery.
A Discovery is Made
After the divers descended about 1,425 feet below sea level, they came across a ship that looked old and badly damaged. “The body of the ship was severely damaged by shelling, with its stern almost broken, and yet the ship’s deck and sides are well preserved,” the maritime salvage company said.
Severe Damage
The divers knew that the ship was most likely an old warship based on its appearance. As they inspected it in the submersibles, they concluded that the ship, which had cannons and deck guns covered in marine growth, had been sunk in a battle.
An Incredible Find
Based on how much the ship was covered in algae, slime, and seaweed, the team of experts knew they were dealing with a really old ship. However, at the time, they had no idea how old and how amazing their find would turn out to be.
Identifying Their Find
According to Shinil Group, the Seoul-based maritime salvage company that enlisted help from experts around the world in search of shipwrecks, the team started looking for clues on the ship to figure out its name and who it belonged to.
The Ship’s Name
When one of the submersibles turned its floodlights onto the side of the ship, however, they were amazed to see that the stern of the boat wasn’t badly damaged and that its name could actually be distinguished through the thick marine growth.
Cyrillic Characters
According to the team, they realized the characters on the stern of the boat were in Cyrillic, which meant that the ship belonged to Russia. After translating the characters, the experts learned the gravity of their discovery.
The Dmitrii Donski
Thanks to the legible characters, the team identified the boat as the Dmitrii Donskoi, a Russian Imperial Navy cruiser that had been built in St. Petersburg and was launched in August of 1883. The 5,800-ton ship had been built with sails and a coal-powered engine.
A Commerce Raider
According to records, the Dmitrii Donski was a commerce raider, which is an armed commerce raiding ship that is disguised as a non-combatant merchant vessel, for the Russian Imperial Navy. After it’s launch, the boat spent most of its time in the Mediterranean Sea and the Far East.
Ordered to Retreat
However, around 1904 to 1905, which was the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War, the Dmitrii Donski was ordered to sail from where it was stationed in the Baltic Sea after a Japanese fleet destroyed much of Russia’s ships in the Far East.
Strength in Numbers
The Dmitrii Donski, which was being run by 591 members of the crew, were expected to meet up with the Russian Imperial Navy’s Second Pacific Squadron. However, neither ship nor the crew ever made it out of the Far East.
Escaping Damage
While on the move in May 1905, the commerce raider and other Russian ships were met by a Japanese fleet, which resulted in the Battle of Tsushima. Because the Dmitrii Donski had been ordered to guard the Russian transport ships at the back of the pack, the ship avoided most of the attack.
The Interception
Captain Ivan Lebedev thought they would be able to escape the area mostly unscathed and continue on to Vladivostok, a Russian port. However, it was later intercepted and didn’t stand a chance against the Japanese fleet.
The Attack
During the attack, 60 crew members were killed and another 120 were injured. As a result, Captain Lebedev had no choice but to anchor off the island of Ulleungdo. Once anchored, Lebedev ordered his men to leave the ship and go ashore.
Out of Options
On May 29, 1905, the next morning, the surviving crew of the ship were taken as prisoners of the Japanese. Without a crew, Lebedev couldn’t escape. Yet he refused to let the Japanese have the ship because of what was on board at the time.
Precious Cargo
According to records, the Dmitrii Donski had been carrying 5,500 boxes of gold bars as well as 200 tons of gold coins, which was meant to pay for fuel, port fees, and the crews of all of Russia’s fleet. The treasure, which weighed two tons, couldn’t land in the hands of the Japanese.
Lost to the Sea
Captain Lebedev knew that if the Japenese fleet took over the ship, they would find the treasure hidden below deck. He couldn’t let the ship be captured, so he intentionally sunk the massive vessel. Shortly after, he died of his injuries.
Returning to Sea Level
After the Dmitrii Donski sunk, the ship and the treasure was lost to the sea floor where it stayed hidden and undisturbed for the next 113 years. According to the Shinil Group, the ship is scheduled to be to raised in October or November of 2018.
The Treasure’s Future
Today, the treasure of gold bullion and coins is estimated to be worth $133 billion. According to the Shinil Group, an agreement has been made with Russia that the government will receive half of all gold found onboard. About 10 percent of the treasure will be used for a museum dedicated to the ship on Ulleungdo Island. In addition, some of the treasure will be used to build a railroad through North Korea to link Russia to South Korea.
Sunken Ship with Hundreds of Billions in Buried Treasure Found After 113 Years is an article from: LifeDaily