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SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29 men. When launched on June 7, 1958, she was the largest ship on North America's Great Lakes and remains the largest to have sunk there.
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Edmund Fitzgerald, American freighter that sank during a storm on November 10, 1975, in Lake Superior, killing all 29 aboard. Its mysterious demise inspired Gordon Lightfoot’s hit song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976), which helped make it the most famous shipwreck in the Great Lakes.
In 1957 the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company commissioned the construction of a freighter that was to be the then largest ship on the Great Lakes, measuring 729 feet (222 metres) long and weighing more than 13,600 tons. On June 8, 1958, the vessel was christened the Edmund Fitzgerald, the name of the firm’s president. It undertook its mai...
On November 9, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, for a steel mill near Detroit. The freighter was captained by Ernest M. McSorley, and on board were 28 other men. It soon made radio contact with the Arthur M. Anderson, which was some 15 statute miles (24 km) behind. Later on November 9, gale warnings were issued for southern Lake Superior, which was known for strong storms in November. Early the next morning—after an upgraded storm warning was issued—the two vessels agreed to change course, taking a more northerly route that was commonly used during severe weather. However, a later shift in the winds meant that the vessels had set a course for the brunt of the storm. As the day progressed, the storm worsened; at its peak, winds reached 70–75 knots and waves swelled to heights of 25 feet (8 metres). At one point McSorley noted that it was among the “worst seas” he had ever experienced.
At around 3:15 pm on November 10, the captain of the Anderson noted that the Fitzgerald had passed dangerously close to a shoal off Caribou Island. Some 15 minutes later, the Fitzgerald reported to the Anderson that it had minor damage and was listing, though it had turned on its pumps. McSorley also asked the Anderson to stay near the Fitzgerald, which was reducing speed. At around 4:10 pm, the freighter told the Anderson that both its radars were down and requested assistance with its route. Over an hour later, the Fitzgerald reported to the Avafors that it was listing badly. At 7:10 pm the Fitzgerald spoke again to the Anderson, at which time McSorley stated, “We are holding our own.” Those were the last words heard from the Fitzgerald. Some 10 minutes later the freighter disappeared from the Anderson’s radar. It was less than 20 statute miles (32 km) from shelter at Whitefish Bay, which was shared by Ontario, Canada, and Michigan, U.S.
After trying to contact the freighter for more than an hour, the Anderson notified the Coast Guard, which at approximately 9:00 pm requested that it return to the area to search for the missing vessel. Despite having reached Whitefish Bay, the Anderson agreed, heading back into the storm. The William Clay Ford also joined the search, which came to include other vessels as well as helicopters and airplanes. Lifeboats, life jackets, and other debris were discovered, but there was no sign of the Fitzgerald.
Over the following week, sonar detected two large objects in the area where the Fitzgerald was lost. In May 1976 the wreck was definitively discovered when a submersible robot both videotaped and photographed the bow and stern, which bore the freighter’s name. The mangled wreckage was located some 530 feet (162 metres) below the lake’s surface, 17 statute miles (27 km) from Whitefish Bay, in Canadian waters. While the bow was resting upright, the nearby stern section was upside down. The two pieces were separated by a debris field that included taconite pellets.
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In July 1977 the Coast Guard released its report on the sinking, concluding that due to improperly closed hatches, the ship took on water. With a loss of buoyancy, its bow dipped and was unable to recover, diving to the lake bottom. The suddenness explained the failure of the Fitzgerald to send a distress signal. However, numerous other theories were promoted. Some believed that the freighter had struck bottom near Caribou Island, damaging its hull. Others, however, claimed that the freighter was unseaworthy—due to structural problems, lack of watertight bulkheads, and cargo loads that were heavier than it was designed to carry—and that it broke apart while still on the lake’s surface. In addition, some blamed rogue waves. Although subsequent underwater expeditions examined the wreckage, no definitive answer was reached as to why the vessel sank.
The mystery surrounding the Fitzgerald’s demise captured the public’s imagination, and in 1976 the tragedy was immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s folk ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” In addition, numerous books and documentaries chronicled the sinking. In 1994 an expedition discovered the body of a crewman, which was located near the bow and appeared to be wearing a lifejacket. The following year the ship’s bronze bell was recovered. Reportedly at the urging of the crewmen’s families, the Canadian government subsequently limited access to the wreckage.
Learn about the legend, the mystery and the controversy of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship on the Great Lakes that sank in 1975. Explore the ship's history, the recovery of her bell, the memorial event and the rare radio chatter.
Learn about the 1975 sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a freighter that lost 29 lives in Lake Superior. Explore the ship history, memorials, crew profiles, and theories on this site.
Learn about the final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a cargo ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1975, and the efforts to find its wreckage. Read the accounts of the crew and captain of the Arthur M. Anderson, the only survivor of the storm.
Nov 11, 2023 · Learn about the final voyage of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship to sink on Lake Superior, and the tragic loss of 29 lives in 1975. Read the details of the storm, the search, the legend and the annual memorial event.
Learn about the history and causes of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, America's largest freighter ship, in 1975. Explore the maritime technology, weather conditions, and cultural impact of this tragic event.
