Question

recovering artifacts from shipwrecks
on october 5, 1804, the spanish ship nuestra señora de las mercedes sank following an attack from a british naval ship. the mercedes fell to her underwater grave carrying more than 17 tons of gold and silver coins.
more than two hundred years later, in 2007, a treasure - seeking group discovered the mercedes wreck and retrieved the coins from the bottom of the ocean. the discovery is considered one of the largest treasures ever found.
what is an effect of the sinking of the mercedes in 1804?
scientists developed a technique to help restore damaged artifacts.
groups seeking treasure searched the ocean floor for lost gold and silver.
researchers built machines that could go places humans were unable to access.
historical items found in shipwrecks became much more valuable.

Explanation:

The text states that over 200 years after the 1804 sinking, a treasure-seeking group found the wreck and retrieved the coins. This directly links the sinking to treasure-seeking groups searching the ocean floor for the lost gold and silver. The other options are not supported by the provided passage.

Answer:

Groups seeking treasure searched the ocean floor for lost gold and silver.