Mumbai Workers Find Gold From WWII Ship 

Gold bars from a wrecked Second World War British cargo ship have been discovered by Indian workers at a dock in Mumbai.

 

Workers are continuing to dredge the site for remaining gold

The precious cargo was discovered by a team digging a new dock at the port according to local reports.

Mumbai police officer Quaisar Khalid said: "The contractors have told us about having found gold and the bars belonging to the lot that had sunk with (the) Fort Stikine."

The two bars weighed 100g and 50g (3.5oz and 1.75oz).

The SS Fort Stikine exploded after a fire broke out in its hold while at Victoria Docks in the city port then known as Bombay on April 14, 1944.

Hundreds were killed in the explosions and subsequent blaze which raged for days and also destroyed many other ships that were docked at the time.

The Fort Stikine went up quickly as it was still fully laden with munitions and cotton bales - as well as an estimated £2m-worth of gold.

The bullion was intended to help boost Indian exchange rates that had been heavily hit by the war.

Some of the Fort Stikine's glittering haul was discovered and returned to the British government 30 years ago, but the rest has lain undiscovered, until now.

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