A US deep-ocean exploration firm has recovered nearly 1,000 ounces of gold, worth $1.3m, on a dive to a historic Atlantic Ocean shipwreck, company officials say. The discovery has renewed speculation that gold worth tens of millions of dollars remains on the sunken ship. The find confirmed that gold has not been taken from the vessel since 1991. The SS Central America sank in 1857 killing 425 people, triggering one of the world's first financial crises. Experts say the vessel - which was caught in a hurricane 257km off the South Carolina coast - was carrying 21 tonnes of gold which was intended to prop up the cash-strapped banks of New York. As a result, its loss created financial panic.