Treasure hunters probe waters off Outer Cape

On 17/08/2009
In Treasure Hunting / Recoveries
0 comments

By Kevin Mullaney - Wicked Local Provincetown

The case of the mystery ship in the waters off Provincetown has been solved and, although it wasn’t much of a secret, the large vessel that piqued a host of interest among Cape tip residents is on a most curious mission.

There are actually two ships, the 220-foot Sea Hunter and the Son Worshipper. They are “research and salvage ships” — treasure hunters, supposedly on the brink of recovering an estimated $3 to $5 billion in platinum, diamonds and possibly gold from the wreck of a British merchant steamer, sunk off the coast of Cape Cod by a German U-boat in June of 1942.

The expedition is the brainchild of Greg Brooks, owner of the Portland, Maine-based firm Subresearch LLC. A new company, Sea Hunters LLC, was formed to pursue the wreck.

“Aboard the two ships are captain and owner [Greg Brooks], 16 crew, two staffers from the Discovery Channel, security and Nine, the young cat who is mascot and the symbol of good luck to the team,” wrote Viki Wills, head of public relations and marketing for the expedition, responding to the “Mystery Ship” article in the Banner two weeks ago.

“It is no secret that the ships are there to potentially recover treasure that is locked deep inside the Port Nicholson,” Wills wrote. “A German U-boat fired two torpedoes into the ship, sinking it where it remains today.

Its cargo was listed as 1,600 tons of automobile parts and 4,000 tons of military stores.”