VAST SEA BATTLE OVER $20B TREASURE SHIP!

Colombian gov't trying to pirate U.S. explorers' claim to wreck

A SPANISH galleon sunken for 300 years with $20 billion in booty onboard is being held hostage by the Colombian government, which declared the underseas region around the ship “a protected archeological area” to keep treasure hunters away.

On May 22, the South American nation basically declared the seas off the port of Cartagena — where the San Jose sits 3,100 feet below the surface of the Caribbean with billions in gold, silver, emeralds and other gems on board — a no-go zone, screwing other treasure seekers.

The country’s cultural ministry says the designation “guarantees the protection of heritage” and allows for the “long-term preservation and the development of research, conservation and valuation activities.”