WWII silver treasure recovered

[preamble]Fromdepths deeper than where the Titanic rests, a 100-tonne silver treasure has been recovered. The silver, worth 150 million British pounds (250 million US dollars), is the largest quantity of precious metals ever recovered from such depths.

Published: 24 April 2014

The cargo was salvaged from the wreck of the British ship SS Gairsoppa, sunk by a German torpedo 300 miles off the west coast of Ireland in 1941. The recovery mission was conducted by US salvage firm Odyssey Marine Exploration, which was contracted by the British government. Under the contract, Odyssey will keep 80 percent of the silver.

The rest will go mainly to Britain’s Treasury, with a small amount going to the intended receiver – the Royal Mint, which will issue commemorative coins from the ship’s silver.