Looking Back at the Tragic Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. Here is a look at this deadly shipwreck, as well as what weather factors were at play on that fateful day.

Details of the Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

All 29 men aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald lost their lives when the freighter ran aground on November 10, 1975.  A storm brewing across the Great Lakes was partially blamed for the modern maritime catastrophe that made headlines around the world. The ship set sail from Superior, Wisconsin, carrying a load of taconite pellets. The freighter was en route to Zug Island in Detroit when it encountered gale-force winds, snow, and waves as high as 35 feet.

The storm whipped up at about 7 pm, sending the Edmund Fitzgerald down about 500 feet to the bottom of Lake Superior. According to the Detroit Historical Society, the ship sank in Canadian waters near Whitefish Bay.  Authorities found the wreckage in two separate parts. The bow was located in U.S. waters while the stern was found in Canadian waters.