ALFONSO XII

The magnificent steamer Alfonso XII, of the Compañía Transatlántica, when it was built (in 1875) was the largest steamer afloat flying the Spanish flag. She left the port of Cadiz with merchandise, passengers, soldiers destined for the Cuban garrison and ten boxes worth 500,000 gold duros for payment and maintenance of the military forces based in that place. But after having anchored in the Puerto de la Luz, on February 13, 1885, it ran aground in the Baja de Gando, which caused astonishment, since it was entrusted to one of the most accredited captains of the Company, and the low was situated scarcely a scant mile from land, marked on all the maps, it was perfectly well known. After being sunk to a depth of about 45 m, the precious cargo of gold coins became the main concern of the Transatlantic Company, which hired the best divers of the time for the rescue. But at the end of the job, a box was missing to recover. From then on, the legend of the treasure of Alfonso XII was created, which has not stopped attracting professional and sports divers to find it. The large amount of life that houses the wreck lends it great appeal despite the deterioration of the remains. Due to its depth, the immersion difficulty is medium, reserved for technical divers.

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