Featured Image Credit: Thing Nong Nont/Getty Images
A lost pirate ship with a whopping $130 million worth of treasure on board has been found off the coast of Africa’s largest island.
The incredible discovery was made by a team of archeologists who believe they may have stumbled upon the wreckage of a ship that may have fallen victim to one of the most notorious pirates in history.
The Portuguese ship was known as Nossa Senhora do Cabo and sank over 300 years ago along the northeast coast of Madagascar, near the island of Nosy Borhan.
It is thought that the ship might have been attacked by the infamous French pirate, Oliver 'The Buzzard' Levasseur.
Advert
Levasseur first became a privateer for the French crown during the War of the Spanish Succession which lasted from 1701 to 1714.
Afterwards, he was ordered to return home with his ship but instead, Levasseur joined the pirate company of Benjamin Hornigold in 1716.
Levasseur later became known for pilfering ships around the world and it’s believed that this particular vessel, Nossa Senhora do Cabo, fell victim to the pirate in 1721.
Two US researchers, Brandon Clifford and Mark Agostini, from the Centre for Historic Shipwreck Preservation, uncovered a whopping 3,000 artifacts from the boat, and the entire loot is estimated to be worth a total of $138 million today.
Among the items recovered from the wrecked ship were luxury pottery, Arabic-inscribed coins and religious figurines.
It is believed that the ship was heading towards Lisbon, Portugal, but never made it after the crew were targeted by Levasseur.
Speaking to Live Science, Agostini said that he believed that other archaeologists had underestimated the scientific treasures located in Madagascar, adding: “Ideally, future fieldwork will lead to more analysis of the many wrecks there.”
During his time on the Brazilian Coast, Levasseur attacked many boats, notably targeting a slave ship heading from Angola.
The crew was left to sink in their ship after it was robbed and damaged.
Levasseur then abandoned 240 slaves on an island near Rio de Janeiro.
It is not known what happened to the slaves, but it is believed that they perished on the island.
Levasseur continued traveling the seas for the next few years, pilfering and commandeering ships.
The pirate was finally captured near Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, and taken to Saint-Denis, Réunion, where he was hanged for piracy on July 7, 1730.
