A French mountaineer who had found a box containing precious stones from the wreckage of an Air India flight that crashed in 1966 at the Alps will get to keep half of the fortune.

French mountaineer allowed to keep half of precious stones found at Air India crash site

A mountaineer has finally received his share of reward for the treasure he found eight years ago from the debris of two Indian planes that had crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and in 1966.<o:p></o:p>

The treasure, including emeralds, rubies and sapphires, had remained hidden in a metal box that was onboard one of the two Air India planes that had crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and then in 1966.

<o:p>Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/stunning-images-of-hot-air-balloons-taking-over-the-sky-in-antequera-spain-during-kings-cup-434514">Stunning images of hot air balloons taking over the sky in Antequera, Spain, during King's cup</a></o:p>

Since the crash, mountaineers have often discovered baggage, debris, papers and sometimes human remains too from the two crashed Air India flights. This mountaineer stumbled upon a metal box in 2013 and realised there were precious stones in the box.<o:p></o:p>

Experts believe these stones were onboard the 1966 flight which was taking nearly 117 passengers from Mumbai to New York. The flight, Boeing 707, had crashed on the south-west side of Mont Blanc on January 24, 1966. All 117 people onboard, including India's nuclear programme expert, Homi Jehangir Bhabha, were killed in this crash.<o:p></o:p>

When the mountaineer found these precious stones, he informed the authorities and claims he does not "regret having been honest". Now, eight years after his find, he was told that the treasure will finally be shared with him this year.

<o:p>Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rewind-2021-covid-coups-talibanthe-tumultuous-year-that-was-434599#coronavirus-the-seemingly-endless-loop-were-stuck-in-434552">Rewind 2021: Covid, coups, Taliban...the tumultuous year that was</a></o:p>

"The stones have been shared this week"&nbsp;in two equal lots valued at about €150,000 ($169,000) each, the mayor of Chamonix, Eric Fournier, said.<o:p></o:p>

These precious stones are not the only treasure found from these crashed airplanes. In September 2012, Indian government had was handed a bag of diplomatic mail that was found in the 1966 flight. <o:p></o:p>

In 2020, when the ice was melting from Mont Blanc's Bossons glacier, copies of Indian newspapers with headlines about Indira Gandhi becoming the prime minister of India were also spotted.

(With inputs from agencies)

<o:p></o:p>

A mountaineer has finally received his share of reward for the treasure he found eight years ago from the debris of two Indian planes that had crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and in 1966.

A mountaineer has finally received his share of reward for the treasure he found eight years ago from the debris of two Indian planes that had crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and in 1966. The treasure, including emeralds, rubies and sapphires, had remained hidden in a metal box that was onboard one of the two Air India planes that had crashed into Mont Blanc in 1950 and then in 1966. Have a look | Stunning images of hot air balloons taking over the sky in Antequera, Spain, during King's cup Since the crash, mountaineers have often discovered baggage, debris, papers and sometimes human remains too from the two crashed Air India flights. This mountaineer stumbled upon a metal box in 2013 and realised there were precious stones in the box. Experts believe these stones were onboard the 1966 flight which was taking nearly 117 passengers from Mumbai to New York. The flight, Boeing 707, had crashed on the south-west side of Mont Blanc on January 24, 1966. All 117 people onboard, including India's nuclear programme expert, Homi Jehangir Bhabha, were killed in this crash. When the mountaineer found these precious stones, he informed the authorities and claims he does not "regret having been honest". Now, eight years after his find, he was told that the treasure will finally be shared with him this year. Have a look | Rewind 2021: Covid, coups, Taliban...the tumultuous year that was "The stones have been shared this week" in two equal lots valued at about €150,000 ($169,000) each, the mayor of Chamonix, Eric Fournier, said. These precious stones are not the only treasure found from these crashed airplanes. In September 2012, Indian government had was handed a bag of diplomatic mail that was found in the 1966 flight. In 2020, when the ice was melting from Mont Blanc's Bossons glacier, copies of Indian newspapers with headlines about Indira Gandhi becoming the prime minister of India were also spotted. (With inputs from agencies)

Mountaineer gets jewels he found from debris of Air India's crashed plane

A miner who had become a millionaire overnight in June just inducted more money into his wallet. Talk about a double victory!

In June, the miner had sold two rough Tanzanite stones&nbsp;valued at $3.4 million. The one he sold recently is valued at $2 million.

Saniniu Laizer’s third discovery of precious gems weighed around 6.3 kgs.

Rare gem

Tanzanite cannot be found elsewhere in the world, and is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth.

Geologists believe that it may disappear over the next 20 years.

The gem dons various hues across the colour spectrum, red, green, purple, and blue.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/small-scale-tanzanian-miner-becomes-millionaire-overnight-308944/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The rarer it is, the higher it will be prized. Essentially, its price depends on how rare it is and how clearly the colour is visible.

Lazier, while referring to his newly found riches urged small-scale miners to work in tandem with the government, claiming it was a good experience for him.

"Selling to the government means there are no shortcuts... they are transparent," he said in a mine in northern Mirerani.

In June, Lazier had sold two stones weighing 9.2 kgs and 5.8 kgs respectively. The man, who has 30 children promised to hold a party in the aftermath of receiving money.

<h6><img alt="Tanzanian small-scale miner Saniniu Kuryan Laizer, 52, poses with the enlarged cheque copy from the government after selling two of the biggest of the country's precious gemstones, Tanzanite, during the ceremony for his historical discovery in Manyara, northern Tanzania, on June 24, 2020. Laizer found the stones weighing 9.27 and 5.1 kilogrammes respectively in the northern Mirerani hills, an area which President John Magufuli had fenced off in 2018 to stop smuggling of the gem. He sold them to the government for 7.7 billion Tanzanian shillings (nearly $3.3 million/2.9 million euros). The broken biggest record of Tanzanite was 3.5 kilogrammes." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ca8d2cb-e3f1-4121-916b-e4b3a9be9d1b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_42.jpg" /> 
Tanzanian small-scale miner Saniniu Kuryan Laizer, 52, poses with the enlarged cheque copy from the government after selling two of the biggest of the country's precious gemstones, Tanzanite, during the ceremony for his historical discovery in Manyara, northern Tanzania, on June 24, 2020. Laizer found the stones weighing 9.27 and 5.1 kilogrammes respectively in the northern Mirerani hills, an area which President John Magufuli had fenced off in 2018 to stop smuggling of the gem. He sold them to the government for 7.7 billion Tanzanian shillings (nearly $3.3 million/2.9 million euros). The broken biggest record of Tanzanite was 3.5 kilogrammes. | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Hard to be a miner

Miners in the region face a lot of setbacks from underemployment, low payments, or irregular payments.

Lazier on Monday claimed that he would use the money to build a school and a hospital in Simanjiro district which falls in the region of northern Manyara.

In conversation with the BBC, Lazier claimed that he would not let his changed fortune change him or his lifestyle.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/small-scale-tanzanian-miner-becomes-millionaire-overnight-308535" hreflang="en">Small-scale Tanzanian miner becomes millionaire overnight</a>

He intends to continue taking care of his 2,000 cows, while adding how he sees no reason to take extra precautions simply because he had more money.

Miners like Lazier seek government licenses to hunt Tanzanite. But illegal mining is prevalent in the country, especially around mines that are owned by big corporations.

President Magufuli had ordered the military to set up a 24 kilometre long perimeter wall around a mining site in Manyara, which is believed to have the world’s only source of Tanzanite.

Owing to this wall, the government reported increase in the revenue, attributing it to the wall’s construction.

A miner who had become a millionaire overnight in June just inducted more money into his wallet. Talk about a double victory! In June, the miner had sold two rough Tanzanite stones valued at $3.

A miner who had become a millionaire overnight in June just inducted more money into his wallet. Talk about a double victory! In June, the miner had sold two rough Tanzanite stones valued at $3.4 million. The one he sold recently is valued at $2 million. Saniniu Laizer’s third discovery of precious gems weighed around 6.3 kgs. Rare gem Tanzanite cannot be found elsewhere in the world, and is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth. Geologists believe that it may disappear over the next 20 years. The gem dons various hues across the colour spectrum, red, green, purple, and blue. The rarer it is, the higher it will be prized. Essentially, its price depends on how rare it is and how clearly the colour is visible. Lazier, while referring to his newly found riches urged small-scale miners to work in tandem with the government, claiming it was a good experience for him. "Selling to the government means there are no shortcuts... they are transparent," he said in a mine in northern Mirerani. In June, Lazier had sold two stones weighing 9.2 kgs and 5.8 kgs respectively. The man, who has 30 children promised to hold a party in the aftermath of receiving money. Tanzanian small-scale miner Saniniu Kuryan Laizer, 52, poses with the enlarged cheque copy from the government after selling two of the biggest of the country's precious gemstones, Tanzanite, during the ceremony for his historical discovery in Manyara, northern Tanzania, on June 24, 2020. Laizer found the stones weighing 9.27 and 5.1 kilogrammes respectively in the northern Mirerani hills, an area which President John Magufuli had fenced off in 2018 to stop smuggling of the gem. He sold them to the government for 7.7 billion Tanzanian shillings (nearly $3.3 million/2.9 million euros). The broken biggest record of Tanzanite was 3.5 kilogrammes. | AFP Hard to be a miner Miners in the region face a lot of setbacks from underemployment, low payments, or irregular payments. Lazier on Monday claimed that he would use the money to build a school and a hospital in Simanjiro district which falls in the region of northern Manyara. In conversation with the BBC, Lazier claimed that he would not let his changed fortune change him or his lifestyle. Also read: Small-scale Tanzanian miner becomes millionaire overnight He intends to continue taking care of his 2,000 cows, while adding how he sees no reason to take extra precautions simply because he had more money. Miners like Lazier seek government licenses to hunt Tanzanite. But illegal mining is prevalent in the country, especially around mines that are owned by big corporations. President Magufuli had ordered the military to set up a 24 kilometre long perimeter wall around a mining site in Manyara, which is believed to have the world’s only source of Tanzanite. Owing to this wall, the government reported increase in the revenue, attributing it to the wall’s construction.

Tanzanian miner who became a millionaire overnight in June finds another rare stone worth $2 million

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