Investigation begins at alleged site of Nazi gold train

The apocryphal tale of a long-lost Nazi train full of gold could soon turn out to be true as engineers begin surveying an area in Poland where two men say the treasure will be found.

Workers using a radar detector check the area where, according to two explorers, a World War II Nazi train with armaments and precious minerals is allegedly hidden in an underground tunnel in Walbrzych, Poland, Tuesday, 10 November. Image by AP Photo/Natalia Dobryszycka

Searchers have been given the greenlight to complete a non-invasive investigation into the existence of the train, reports NBC. This will start with some scanning and testing, but any digging may not start until the spring.

The story goes that up to three trains filled with art, gold and archives disappeared somewhere near the current Czech border in 1945, reports the Guardian.

Despite previous searches for the bounty, no one has ever found any of it. However, the two men are certain they’ve discovered the location. The area has been under guard since the announcement in August, when they went to the authorities with images that showed the outline of a train from a ground-penetrating radar kit. The men have applied to the Polish treasury, asking for 10 per cent of the value of the train and its contents for a reward.

Walbrzych tunnel in an area of Southern Poland that is being besieged by treasure hunters in search of the missing Nazi gold train. Image by Ladislav Bohác / CC BY 2.0

The search will centre on a network of underground tunnels beneath the Owl Mountains with sinister beginnings. The tunnels were dug out by prisoners of war and concentration camps, according to the Guardian.

The news of the potential find had already brought in a rush of metal-detector-wielding tourists to the area, which local officials say have helped to boost the economy.