Kenneth Glad
A Chilean court decision has given Dutch entrepreneur Bernard Keiser another chance to pursue a long-running treasure claim on Robinson Crusoe Island. The project still depends on final authorization from Chilean authorities.
Keiser, 76, has spent more than three decades searching the Juan Fernández archipelago for a trove said to have been hidden there centuries ago, Digi24 writes.
The ruling allows him to seek permission to restart excavations on Robinson Crusoe Island. If the final permit is granted, the new search could begin in October.
The island, located off Chile’s Pacific coast, is widely associated with Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, whose survival story helped inspire Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe.”
The treasure claim
The search focuses on Puerto Inglés. According to the legends, the site may hold barrels filled with gold and silver coins, jewels and precious stones brought from Veracruz, Mexico.
According to the Romanian outlet, some accounts connect the alleged hoard to Spanish captain Juan Ubilla de Echeverría in 1714. Another version says British navigator Cornelius Webb hid it again in 1760.
Published estimates have varied widely. Mongabay and Ancient Origins previously cited a figure of about $10 billion, while Digi24 gave newer estimates of $20 billion to $40 billion.
According to the BBC, Chilean rules would give 75 percent of any verified discovery to the state. Keiser and his partners would receive the remaining 25 percent.
Protected land
Robinson Crusoe Island is part of a protected national park, and the search has previously drawn scrutiny from conservation authorities. Mongabay reports that earlier work involving heavy machinery raised concerns about erosion, archaeological oversight and damage to the island’s terrain.
Chile’s National Forest Corporation, Conaf, had rejected a previous request linked to the expedition. The new court decision overturned that barrier, but it did not remove the restrictions attached to any future work.
Any renewed excavation would be limited to manual digging, with no heavy equipment allowed. The work would also be capped at six months.
Keiser says recent geophysical studies found a significant metal concentration in the area he wants to search.
Earlier claims have not led to a confirmed discovery, including a report by The Guardian in which lawyer Fernando Uribe-Etxeverria said, “The biggest treasure in history has been located.”
For now, the ruling does not confirm that any treasure exists. It only allows Keiser to continue seeking permission for a search that has repeatedly raised questions about heritage, ownership and conservation on protected land.
Sources: Digi24, BBC, Ancient Origins, Mongabay, The Guardian.
