CHILE: The archipelago is named after Robinson Crusoe, but perhaps it should have been called Treasure Island.
A centuries-long quest for booty from the Spanish colonial era appeared to be culminating in Chile when a group of adventurers announced the discovery of an estimated 600 barrels of gold coins and Incan jewels on the remote Pacific island.
"The biggest treasure in history has been located," said Fernando Uribe-Etxeverria, a lawyer for Wagner, the Chilean company leading the search. Mr Uribe-Etxeverria estimated the value of the buried treasure at $10 billion.
The announcement set off ownership claims. The treasure-hunters claimed half the loot was theirs and said they would donate it to non-profit-making organisations. The government said they had no share to donate.
It also prompted speculation about the contents of what is considered to be one of the great lost treasures from the Spanish looting of South America. Chilean newspapers were filled with reports that the stash included 10 papal rings and original gold statues from the Incan empire.
The hoard is supposedly buried 15m (50ft) deep on Robinson Crusoe island, also known as the Juan Fernandez island, home to Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, the adventurer immortalised by Daniel Defoe as Robinson Crusoe. Selkirk was dumped on the island and lived alone for four years before being rescued and his exploits brought worldwide attention to the islands.
For centuries, treasure-hunters have scoured the island in search of booty which was reportedly buried there in 1715 by Spanish sailor Juan Esteban Ubilla y Echeverria. Using everything from old Spanish ship manifests to teams of islanders with shovels and picks, foreigners have made so many claims of discovering the lost treasure that islanders are usually sceptical.
This most recent announcement, however, deserves greater credence because of the treasure- hunters' equipment: a mini-robot that can go 50m deep. "Arturito" was invented by Chileans and over the past year has grabbed headlines by breaking some of Chile's biggest criminal mysteries.
First, the robot detected the arsenal of a right-wing sect known as Colonia Dignidad. The guns and rocket-launchers were buried at 10m and while the authorities had searched for years, the robot found them almost instantly.
Then, in the case of missing businessman José Yuraszeck, "Arturito" was able to analyse the soil and identify the molecular composition of human bones, allowing investigators to dig straight to the body of the murder victim. - (Guardian service)