A man who found a treasure trove of emeralds, sapphires and rubies that were lost during a plane crash decades ago gets to keep half of the haul.
The mountaineer stumbled across the precious stones in 2013 while climbing a glacier off Mont Blanc in the French Alps. The jewels were inside a metal box that was lost on January 24, 1966 when an Air India passenger jet crashed near the summit on its way from Mumbai to New York.
The man turned his discovery over to police, who spent years trying to identify any possible owner.
Eight years later, authorities are now saying a search for heirs turned out to be fruitless. As a result, they've divided the stones equally between the town of Chamonix, where they were discovered, and the man who discovered them.
Gemology experts estimate the jewels are worth a total of $338,000, with the town and the man each receiving a lot worth $169,000.
Chamonix Mayor Eric Fournier told Agence France-Presse he is "very happy" the situation had finally been settled. The town plans to display their share at the Chamonix Crystals Museum.
Fournier also praised the climber's "integrity" in turning the gems over to police.
The climber told Le Parisien newspaper he has no regrets about being honest. He plans to sell off some of the gems and use the money to renovate his apartment.
The precious stones are the latest item to be recovered from the plane crash. Climbers have found various debris from the Boeing 707 over the years, including baggage, newspapers, aircraft gear and even human remains.
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