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Thursday, 5th November 2009 (367 views)

Salvagers are looking to gain permission to raise the wreck of a British ship currently lying in the English Channel near Alderney.

According to the BBC, the HMS Victory sank during a storm in 1744 and may contain over £605 million worth of gold treasure.

It was commanded by Admiral Sir John Balchin and was the direct predecessor of Admiral Lord Nelson's own flagship.

US firm Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered the wreck in February and is looking to excavate the site following a consultation with the government and other parties.

"We've got a proposal that would have the entire site excavated, the entire collection conserved [and] educational materials developed," commented Greg Stemm, chief executive of the company.

Odyssey Marine Exploration was responsible for recovering a number of gold coins and other items from the US Civil War-era shipwreck of the SS Republic in 2003 and a Colonial-era site codenamed Black Swan in 2007.

 

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