Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The notion that Indonesia is a treasure paradise cannot be denied. How could it not be, treasures in the form of gold bars, diamonds and silver are scattered across the land and seas of Indonesia.

One of them is the legend of a treasure in the Indonesian seas, the Flor de la Mar ship. This ship came from Europe and once crossed Indonesian waters.

While crossing the Indonesian sea, the ship carrying 60 tons of stolen gold suddenly sank to the bottom of the ocean. Precisely when crossing the sea of ​​Aceh.

Big Ships from Europe

The story begins in 1502. The Flor de la Mar ship originated in Lisbon, Portugal.

This ship has specifications weighing 400 tons with a length of 36 meters. The ship could carry 500 sailors and 50 guns.

At that time, the Flor de la Mar was named the largest ship in Europe. This status made the Flor de la Mar the main ship in the Portuguese ocean exploration series.

The ship's maiden voyage was to India to discover spices and conquer territory there. The captain was Estevao da Gama, cousin of the legendary sailor Vasco da Gama.

While sailing, Flor de la Mar was damaged in Mozambique. However, the problem was not a big deal because the ship sailed back to India.

This success meant that the ship was included again to conquer Malacca. At that time, Malacca was known as the center of the spice trade, before it was discovered that the spices there came from Maluku.

Gold Robbery Ends in Shipwreck

In 1511, Flor de la Mar arrived in Malacca. There, the ship was tasked with transporting treasures confiscated by the Portuguese.

At that time, the Portuguese fleet under the leadership of Alfonso de Albuquerque attacked Sultan Mahmud from the Sultanate of Malacca. The attack was accompanied by the forced seizure of Sultan Mahmud's property.

These treasures were then transported to Flor de la Mar. It was recorded that the ship was carrying 60 tons of gold.

This was published by Amirul Hadi in Islamic Response to Western Hegemony (2006). He said the treasures on the ship were the most expensive loot the Portuguese had ever obtained since they arrived in India.

On the journey from Malacca to India, the Flor de la Mar was accompanied by small accompanying ships. Of course, this was done so that the ship would not be robbed by pirates.

Even though it is certain that it is safe from pirates, the Flor de la Mar ship is not safe from natural threats. On the second day of the voyage all the ships sailed into the path of a very powerful storm.

The storms and waves came non-stop. Practically, all sailing ships were rocking, especially as all ships were recorded as being overloaded.

“The overloaded ship immediately sank to the bottom of the sea, taking with it the entire crew and all the valuables it contained,” he wrote. Peter O. Koch in To the Ends of the Earth: The Age of the European Explorers (2015).

As a result of the disaster, the Flor de la Mar was not only badly damaged but also sunk. The ship reportedly hit a coral reef near Sumatra Island, precisely in Pedir waters, Pidie area, West Aceh.

When the storm occurred there was no one to save the 60 tons of gold. Everyone rushed to save themselves, as did the cruise leader, Alfonso de Albuquerque.

“This was an expedition destined to prove the nature of greed,” he wrote Peter O. Koch.

Until now, the 60 tons of gold is still a mystery. However, considering its water-resistant nature, it is certain that gold is still there today after hundreds of years.

However, the location has definitely moved from the initial point where the ship sank. Until now, no treasure hunter has succeeded in finding it.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(mfa/sef)