'The Curse of Oak Island' treasure hunter Dan Blankenship dead at 95

Legendary treasure hunter Dan Blankenship of "The Curse of Oak Island" died Sunday, Fox News confirmed. ("The Curse of Oak Island," Always Forward (2014) History Channel)

Dan Blankenship, a renowned treasure hunter and “Curse of Oak Island” mainstay, died Sunday at the age of 95, Fox News can confirm.

“We are saddened by the loss of Dan Blankenship. He will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,” A&E Networks told Fox News in a statement Monday. A cause of death was unclear.

Blankenship’s passing was announced by the Friends of Oak Island on Monday in a post shared on the organization’s Facebook page. He died Sunday evening, as CTV News Atlantic reported.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Daniel Blankenship,” the post read. “A true Oak Island legend, Dan was a respected and admired man. His perseverance, ingenuity and passion inspired all. Safe Journey, Dan. We will all miss you, and your legacy will be a part of us, always.”

Blankenship, who first read about Oak Island in an issue of Reader’s Digest while living in Florida, started searching for the elusive treasure in 1965 before relocating from the United States to Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1970 to search full-time for Oak Island's legendary loot and fabled fortune.

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It wasn’t until 2014 that Blankenship and the History Channel began production on its reality TV show “The Curse of Oak Island,” a series that follows brothers Rick and Marty Lagina on their quest to find the treasure and crack the mystery surrounding Oak Island.

The series also features Blakenship’s son David and Marty Lagina’s former college roommate Craig Tester – an expert in drilling and earth-scanning.