Dr. David Saul On “The Great Silver Rush”

Former Premier Dr. David Saul will explain how some $40 million worth of silver ingots were salvaged from a British ship torpedoed off the coast of Ireland in World War Two when he gives the latest lecture in the ongoing Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute [BUEI] “Citizen Scientist” series.

Dr. Saul is a co-founder of Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration which discovered the wreck of British merchant ship “Gairsoppa” in 2011.

In 2010, the United Kingdom;s Department for Transport awarded Odyssey, through a competitive bid, the exclusive salvage contract for the cargo of the SS “Gairsoppa.”

The vessel was carrying a 240 ton cargo of silver when it went down in 1941 — a treasure trove worth more than $200 million.

On July 18, 2012, Odyssey announced the recovery of the first silver bars from the “Gairsoppa” shipwreck site. Dr. Saul is seen here holding one of the ingots recovered from the wreck — it weighs 80 pounds and is worth $38,000.

To date, Odyssey has recovered 1,218 silver bars — approximately 48 tons.

It is anticipated that an additional 1,599 insured silver ingots, representing approximately 1.8 million ounces, and what could be a substantial amount of uninsured silver remains on the “Gairsoppa@ site.

“Gairsoppa” was found in 14,000-feet of water and the ongoing salvage operation has set a world record depth for the recovery of precious cargo.

Dr. Saul’s talk — entitled “The Great Silver Rush: A Story of Sophisticated Technology, Patience, Skill & Perseverance” — will take place at the BUEI’s Tradewinds Theatre on Tuesday, May 28 at 7 p.m.

Silver bars found at the SS “Gairsoppa” wreck site

Tickets — $20 for members, $25 for non-members — are on sale now at the BUEI or can be reserved by calling 294-0204.

A cash bar will open before the lecture at 6:30 p.m.

#BermudaShipwrecks #OdysseyMarineExploration

Category: All, Environment