The Odyssey Marine Exploration based in Tampa, Florida has made a heavy discovery.

On Monday, the company that salvages deep-water shipwrecks, recovered over 61 tons of silver bullion from a World War II wreck. The SS Gairsoppa, which was British cargo ship, reportedly sank in February 1941.

Greg Stemm, Odyssey’s chief executive officer:

This was an extremely complex recovery which was complicated by the sheer size and structure of the SS Gairsoppa as well as its depth nearly three miles below the surface of the North Atlantic. To add to the complications, the remaining insured silver was stored in a small compartment that was very difficult to access.

The Tampa Tribune has said that the silver is worth about R185 per 28 grams. That means that their find is worth around R330 million, which the Odyssey Marine Exploration may retain as a result of company’s contract with the United Kingdom Department of Transport.

According to the CSmonitor, the company has set the record for “the deepest and largest precious metal recovery from a shipwreck.”

Nice find!

[Source: CSmonitor]