After pearl oyster beds were discovered in the Atlantic Ocean near the Caribbean, Spanish explorers would enslave natives and make them retrieve pearls. Many African slaves were forced by the Spaniards to dive. Interestingly, the Spanish Plate fleets 1622, 1715 and 1733 were lost off the Florida coast in hurricanes. These ships were loaded with accumulated jewels, rare Chinese porcelain plates, gold and silver.
The Spanish government sent several salvage vessels to try to recover the lost treasure using diving bells and trained natives like the Calusa Indians. The losses of these treasures severely damaged Spain's economy and contributed to the country's decline. To this day, five ships remain lost, still containing millions of dollars in treasure.