TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- After a decade-long hunt in secrecy, a private company said it has found the wreck of steamship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Republic sank 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Ga., perhaps with 20,000 gold coins that experts say may now be worth up to $150 million, the New York Times reported
If the gold is recovered it would be the richest salvage of a ship to date, the Times said.
"If we wanted to, we could go out with grab buckets and get all the gold in three days," said Greg Stemm, a founder of Odyssey Marine Exploration of Tampa, Fla., which found the wreck. Instead, he said, the company is planning an archaeological recovery.
The Republic sailed from New York on Oct. 18, 1865, carrying 59 passengers, bound for New Orleans, but ran into hurricane winds and sank. Forty-two men, women and children survived.
