MUMBAI; Volvo Car Corporation has launched a worldwide online hunt for real-life sunken treasure, at volvocars.us/thehunt.

As part of its promotional drive for Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, the company has sunk a chest filled with $50,000 worth of gold doubloons plus the key to a brand new Volvo XC90 to the ocean depths, “Somewhere in the World.” Anyone hardy enough to try and find it can take part in the online treasure hunt, which starts simultaneously in 22 markets on 4 May 2007 and ends with a global online ‘head to head’ 2 June 2007, says a release.

To join The Hunt, participants need  to visit a Volvo retailer to pick up a special pirate chart, then register at volvocars.us/thehunt any time between 4 and 29 May.

Once registered online, hunters set sail on their virtual high seas adventure and move on, receiving clues, as they solve a series of challenging and fun online puzzles. As the contest progresses, the puzzles will become increasingly harder to solve. On 2 June 2007, the first person from each of the 22 participating markets to finish the online hunt will compete against one another in one final exciting online challenge.

The first of the 22 individuals to solve the final puzzle will be named the winner and will receive a trip to the burial location to retrieve the chest filled with $50,000 in pirate gold and a key to a new Volvo XC90.

In addition to the United States, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom are participating in The Hunt.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End opens in US theatres on 25 May 2007.