Saab’s Seaeye Lynx surveyed ‘Holy Grail’ San José shipwreck
Saab UK’s Seaeye Lynx subsea vehicle played a critical role in the survey and documentation of the 18th-century galleon San José, a Colombian cultural heritage asset.
Often referred to as the “Holy Grail of shipwrecks,” San José sank in 1708 off the coast of Colombia during the War of the Spanish Succession, taking with it a substantial part of the maritime, commercial and cultural history of one of the last galleons of the Spanish Indies trade.
Operated by the Colombian Navy, the Lynx was used in multiple deep-sea survey missions. These missions captured high-resolution imagery and three-dimensional photogrammetry of the wreck at approximately 600 metres depth. They also included recovering and documenting artefacts such as a cannon, three gold coins, Chinese porcelain cups and sediment samples for further analysis and laboratory studies to support their research and protection.
Jon Robertson, Managing Director at Saab Seaeye, said:
“Lynx has a long history of delivering reliable subsea inspection capabilities, and its use on the San José project demonstrates how proven technology can support complex deep-sea archaeological work.”
Seaeye Lynx is used internationally for subsea survey and inspection tasks. Its role at the San José site forms part of a wider effort by Colombian authorities to document and preserve underwater cultural heritage.
Charlotte Sherwood
+44 (0)7708 389 999
www.saab.com/UK
Saab UK Ltd, a legal entity of Saab AB, is a leading defence and security company. With around 600 employees and a presence in the UK for more than 30 years, Saab operates 8 major facilities across the country, including training and simulation in Wiltshire, Seaeye underwater robotics and sensor systems in Fareham, Public Safety Solutions in Hull, the Software Technology Centre in Farnborough, and its headquarters in London.
The UK is a key country of operations for Saab. Over 60% of the Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon comes from UK supply chain and 35% of the Gripen fighter jet is sourced from UK companies, creating thousands of jobs.
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