A replica of the ancient Portuguese ship Flor do Mar in the Maritime Museum in Malacca
Underwater drones searching for the downed Malaysian airline MH370 may have unwittingly brought an end to a 500-year Portuguese mystery.
The two underwater salvage companies claim their drones have spotted the famous 16th century Portuguese vessel Flor do Mar which sank, laden with stolen gold and jewels, in the Malaccan straits in 1511.
The missing ship is reported to have been sighted in the Java Sea, near Seramang in Indonesia, says Malaysian newspaper The Star Online.
Flor do Mar was captained by legendary Portuguese ‘conqueror’ D. Afonso de Albuquerque who had just ransacked Malacca – in those days on the empire’s Asian trade route – and stolen some of its most valuable treasures to take home to the opulent court of D. Manuel I.
However, Malacca’s chief minister Seri Idris Haron told the paper he is still waiting for official confirmation that the wreck is indeed that of the Flor do Mar.
“We have been hearing speculation and theories,” he said, adding that the Malaysian government will be submitting a claim if the ship is the Portuguese vessel lost at sea over 500 years ago.
“We would request for royalty from the salvaged treasures through cordial bilateral channels because in accordance with historical fact, the galleon was carrying stolen treasure from the Malacca kingdom,” he explained.
The 400-ton ship was considered one of the finest vessels of its time and was even captained during its first trip to India in 1502 by Estêvão da Gama, the cousin of famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
It served in a number of missions and conquests – coming unstuck after the conquest of Malacca when a fierce storm sent it to the bottom of the sea.
Many died and the entire booty, including 200 chests of precious stones and diamonds of all sizes, was lost.
The ship’s final resting place has long been a subject of intrigue. Portuguese author and managing director of BPI Africa Eduardo Pires Coelho even published a novel about it back in 2010 – but while the mystery may now be at an end, the intrigue seems to be continuing …
As the search goes on for flight MH370, the official confirmation Malaysia is waiting for is taking its time.
