[74], The Michigan Sea Grant Program organized a three-day dive to survey Edmund Fitzgerald in 1989. 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. they came to town with limestone for C Reiss, left with iron ore for Connneaut. [212], Great Lakes freighter sunk in Lake Superior, "Edmund Fitzgerald" redirects here. Navy estimates put the length of the bow section at 276 feet (84m) and that of the stern section at 253 feet (77m). It provided for transferring the bell to the Mariners' Church of Detroit if the terms were violated. A brief history on the sister ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald. . 2 hatch cover was missing and the coaming on the No. [110] The NTSB came to the same conclusion as USCG because: The proximity of the bow and stern sections on the bottom of Lake Superior indicated that the vessel sank in one piece and broke apart either when it hit bottom or as it descended. On the afternoon of November 9, 1975 the Fitzgerald departed Superior, Wisconsin en route to the steel mill on Zug Island, near Detroit, Michigan. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank, during a storm, in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Ex-Fitzgerald crew member George Burgner claimed in a deposition that unrepaired cracks and weakened metal on the ship caused the loss, according . The next morning, Jack Borgeson remembers his mother brushing his sister's hair in front of the TV when news came on of the ship's sinking. 1 hatch cover was entirely inside the No. Saying "Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya." While it is true that sailing conditions are good during the summer season, changes can occur abruptly, with severe storms and extreme weather and sea conditions arising rapidly. [119] The NTSB dissenting opinion held that Edmund Fitzgerald sank suddenly and unexpectedly from shoaling. [52] McSorley then hailed any ships in the Whitefish Point area to report the state of the navigational aids, receiving an answer from Captain Cedric Woodard of Avafors between 5:00 and 5:30p.m. that the Whitefish Point light was on but not the radio beacon. [76] The GLSHS used part of the five hours of video footage produced during the dives in a documentary and the National Geographic Society used a segment in a broadcast. He concluded that the topside damage Edmund Fitzgerald experienced at 3:30p.m. on November 10, compounded by the heavy seas, was the most obvious explanation for why she sank. When Bethlehem Steel Corporation permanently laid up Edmund Fitzgerald's sister ship, SS Arthur B. Homer, just five years after going to considerable expense to lengthen her, questions were raised as to whether both ships had the same structural problems. This is based on the "regular" huge waves of the storm and does not necessarily involve rogue waves.[128]. About the Fitzgerald. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald made history on June 7th, 1958. Despite the passage of time, the story of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald continues to fascinate the residents of the Great Lakes state and beyond. The USCG replied that their monitoring equipment indicated that both instruments were inactive. [34], Because of her size, appearance, string of records, and "DJ captain,"[4] Edmund Fitzgerald became a favorite of boat watchers throughout her career. [134] Burgner was not asked to testify before the Marine Board of Inquiry. The USCG Marine Board issued the following conclusion: The nature of Great Lakes shipping, with short voyages, much of the time in very protected waters, frequently with the same routine from trip to trip, leads to complacency and an overly optimistic attitude concerning the extreme weather conditions that can and do exist. When launched, she was the largest ship on the Great Lakes, and she remains the largest to have sunk there. [82] He said: This placement does not support the hypothesis that the ship plunged to the bottom in one piece, breaking apart when it struck bottom. [127], Another published hypothesis contends that an already weakened structure, and modification of Edmund Fitzgerald's winter load line (which allows heavier loading and travel lower in the water), made it possible for large waves to cause a stress fracture in the hull. [26], Northwestern Mutual's normal practice was to purchase ships for operation by other companies. Upon sideways launch, the ship created a large wave that "doused" the spectators and then crashed into a pier before righting herself. [13] The moulded depth (roughly speaking, the vertical height of the hull) was 39ft (12m). It wasn't until the following May that its . [134], NTSB investigators noted that Edmund Fitzgerald's prior groundings could have caused undetected damage that led to major structural failure during the storm, since Great Lakes vessels were normally drydocked for inspection only once every five years. The USCG cited topside damage as a reasonable alternative reason for Edmund Fitzgerald sinking and surmised that damage to the fence rail and vents was possibly caused by a heavy floating object such as a log. "[62], Lacking appropriate search-and-rescue vessels to respond to Edmund Fitzgerald's disaster,[62] at approximately 9:00p.m., the USCG asked Arthur M. Anderson to turn around and look for survivors. [2] The report concluded that these devices failed to prevent waves from inundating the cargo hold. Her destination was Zug Island on the Detroit River. [100], Extreme weather and sea conditions play a role in all of the published hypotheses regarding Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking, but they differ on the other causal factors. [4][7] Captain Peter Pulcer was known for piping music day or night over the ship's intercom while passing through the St. Clair and Detroit rivers (between lakes Huron and Erie), and entertaining spectators at the Soo Locks (between Lakes Superior and Huron) with a running commentary about the ship. [165] The loss of Edmund Fitzgerald also exposed the USCG's lack of rescue capability on Lake Superior. A round trip between Superior, Wisconsin, and Detroit, Michigan, usually took her five days and she averaged 47similar trips per season. First voyage: Sept. 24, 1958. [59] At about 8:25p.m., Cooper again called the USCG to express his concern about Edmund Fitzgerald[60] and at 9:03p.m. reported her missing. However, none has been as famous as Edmund Fitzgerald. It puts into perspective the sheer power of . [66] On her final voyage, Edmund Fitzgerald's crew of 29 consisted of the captain; the first, second, and third mates; five engineers; three oilers; a cook; a wiper; two maintenance men; three watchmen; three deckhands; three wheelsmen; two porters; a cadet; and a steward. [181] NTSB's investigation resulted in 19recommendations for the USCG, four recommendations for the American Bureau of Shipping, and two recommendations for NOAA. [159] The NTSB investigation concluded that a fathometer would have provided Edmund Fitzgerald additional navigational data and made her less dependent on Arthur M. Anderson for navigational assistance. [86][87] The life jacket had deteriorated canvas and "what is thought to be six rectangular cork blocks clearly visible. [84] Shannon determined that based on GPS coordinates from the 1994 Deepquest expedition, "at least one-third of the two acres of immediate wreckage containing the two major portions of the vessel is in U.S. waters because of an error in the position of the U.S.Canada boundary line shown on official lake charts. . [37] Two widows of crewmen filed a $1.5million lawsuit against Edmund Fitzgerald's owners, Northwestern Mutual, and its operators, Oglebay Norton Corporation, one week after she sank. In 2005, the play was re-edited into a concert version called The Gales of November,[205] which opened on the 30th anniversary of the sinking at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. This tragic accident points out the need for all persons involved in Great Lakes shipping to foster increased awareness of the hazards which exist. [120], The LCA believed that instead of hatch cover leakage, the more probable cause of Edmund Fitzgerald's loss was shoaling or grounding in the Six Fathom Shoal northwest of Caribou Island when the vessel "unknowingly raked a reef" during the time the Whitefish Point light and radio beacon were not available as navigation aids. Marie, Ontarioa distance Edmund Fitzgerald could have covered in just over an hour at her top speed. Thirty-eight years ago, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a Lake Superior storm in 1975, along with its entire crew of 29, including two young men from Ashtabula. [153], After Edmund Fitzgerald foundered, Great Lakes shipping companies were accused of valuing cargo payloads more than human life,[154] since the vessel's cargo hold of 860,950 cubic feet (24,379m3) had been divided by two non-watertight traverse "screen" bulkheads. [98][99] In 2009, a further amendment to the Ontario Heritage Act imposed licensing requirements on any type of surveying device. . Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976, Moose Music, Ltd.) is a tribute to this ship wreck and the men who lost their lives.Some of the lyrics of the song are given below along with descriptions of related events. [41], SS Wilfred Sykes loaded opposite Edmund Fitzgerald at the Burlington Northern Dock#1 and departed at 4:15p.m., about two hours after Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 10, 1975, SS Edmund Fitzgerald and its crew of 29 men sank in Lake Superior. [211] Memorabilia on sale include Christmas ornaments, T-shirts, coffee mugs, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, videos, and other items commemorating the vessel and its loss. She was found with cracks after the Big Fitz sank and then they scrapped her in 1986, so . . No story attests to the power of the lake better than the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald that stormy night out there. Arthur M. Anderson was also the first rescue ship on the scene in a vain search for Edmund Fitzgerald survivors. [43] Arthur M. Anderson and Edmund Fitzgerald altered course northward seeking shelter along the Ontario shore[40] where they encountered a winter storm at 1:00a.m. on November 10. [116], The NTSB conducted computer studies,[117] testing and analysis to determine the forces necessary to collapse the hatch covers[118] and concluded that Edmund Fitzgerald sank suddenly from flooding of the cargo hold "due to the collapse of one or more of the hatch covers under the weight of giant boarding seas" instead of flooding gradually due to ineffective hatch closures. [200], The Royal Canadian Mint commemorated Edmund Fitzgerald in 2015 with a colored silver collector coin, with a face value of $20.[201]. The crew of Wilfred Sykes followed the radio conversations between Edmund Fitzgerald and Arthur M. Anderson during the first part of their trip and overheard their captains deciding to take the regular Lake Carriers' Association downbound route. It has virtually no watertight integrity. Namesake of ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald to get his due. From the beginning of the USCG inquiry, some of the crewmen's families and various labor organizations believed the USCG findings could be tainted because there were serious questions regarding their preparedness as well as licensing and rules changes. Hatches Nos. Great Lake Vessels - Arthur B Homer. On August 8, 2007, along a remote shore of Lake Superior on the Keweenaw Peninsula, a Michigan family discovered a lone life-saving ring that appeared to have come from Edmund Fitzgerald. The USCG and NTSB investigated whether Edmund Fitzgerald broke apart due to structural failure of the hull and because the 1976 CURVIII survey found Edmund Fitzgerald's sections were 170 feet (52m) from each other, the USCG's formal casualty report of July 1977 concluded that she had separated upon hitting the lake floor. [108] This hypothesis postulates that the "three sisters" compounded the twin problems of Edmund Fitzgerald's known list and her lower speed in heavy seas that already allowed water to remain on her deck for longer than usual. A Historic Iron Ore Freighter. The main feature of this issue is the 40th Anniversary of the launch of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This ship will have the unique opportunity to commemorate a . [9] In 1957, they contracted Great Lakes Engineering Works (GLEW), of River Rouge, Michigan, to design and construct the ship "within a foot of the maximum length allowed for passage through the soon-to-be completed Saint Lawrence Seaway. It was 730 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 39 feet high. [174] Thompson said that ongoing budget cuts had limited the USCG's ability to perform its historical functions. The USCG Marine board concluded that the few damaged clamps were probably the only ones fastened. [35], Captain Cooper of Arthur M. Anderson reported that his ship was "hit by two 30 to 35 foot seas about 6:30p.m., one burying the aft cabins and damaging a lifeboat by pushing it right down onto the saddle. '"[132] Orgel was quoted as saying that the loss of Edmund Fitzgerald was caused by hull failure, "pure and simple. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank Lake Superior nearly 47 years ago. This was the day she made her inaugural trip on the Great Lakes. [17] Originally coal-fired, her boilers were converted to burn oil during the 197172 winter layup. Great lakes Edmund Fitzgerald porter beer, Cleveland Ohio Made. "[166] The USCG did not broadcast that all ships should seek safe anchorage until after 3:35p.m. on November 10, many hours after the weather was upgraded from a gale to a storm. [45] Until then, Edmund Fitzgerald had followed Arthur M. Anderson, which was travelling at a constant 14.6 miles per hour (12.7kn; 23.5km/h),[40] but the faster Edmund Fitzgerald pulled ahead at about 3:00a.m.[46] As the storm center passed over the ships, they experienced shifting winds, with wind speeds temporarily dropping as wind direction changed from northeast to south and then northwest. The Fateful Journey by Sean Ley, Development Officer The final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald began November 9, 1975 at the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock No.1, Superior, Wisconsin. When launched in 1958, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest ship traversing the Great Lakes, setting records for hauling taconite iron ore mined in Minnesota and destined for Midwest steel mills. 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. Keel laid March 18, 1959; launched Nov 7, 1959. [49] Divers searched the Six Fathom Shoal after the wreck occurred and found no evidence of "a recent collision or grounding anywhere. Fitzgerald and her sister the . [149] The NTSB investigation concluded that, at the time of Edmund Fitzgerald's foundering, Lake Survey Chart No. But I think, it is more a result of the fact, that it happened in recent times . A series of 16consecutive hatch cover clamps were observed on the No. THE EDMUND FITZGERALD LEAVES PORT from northwestern Wisconsin on November 9, 1975. Marie, Michigan, with 1 foot (0.3m) of water. "[178] The company paid compensation to surviving families about 12months in advance of official findings of the probable cause and on condition of imposed confidentiality agreements. It is nearly 64 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior. [203][204], In 1986, writer Steven Dietz and songwriter/lyricist Eric Peltoniemi wrote the musical Ten November in memory of Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking. "[92], Under the Ontario Heritage Act, activities on registered archeological sites require a license. [9], Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, at 2:15p.m. on the afternoon of November 9, 1975,[37] under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley. The Edmund Fitzgerald remains the largest ship to have ever sunk in Lake Superior still to this day. The flooding occurred gradually and probably imperceptibly throughout the final day, finally resulting in a fatal loss of buoyancy and stability. 2:20 PM. The USCG sent a buoy tender, Woodrush, from Duluth, Minnesota, but it took two and a half hours to launch and a day to travel to the search area. The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald (sometimes called the Mighty Fitz or Big Fitz) was a Great Lakes bulk cargo vessel that was christened into service on June 8, 1958. Frederick Stonehouse, who wrote one of the first books on the Edmund Fitzgerald wreck, moderated a 1990 panel review of the video that drew no conclusions about the cause of Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking. [54] Some time later, McSorley told Woodard, "I have a 'bad list', I have lost both radars, and am taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas I have ever been in. 1966 the "Daniel J. Morrell" sank in another horrific storm in Lake Huron (which so injured the "Morrell's" sister ship, the "Edward Y. Townsend" that it sank . Fitzgerald's own grandfather and all great uncles had themselves been lake captains,[22] and his father owned the Milwaukee Drydock Company, which built and repaired ships. This would restrict the operation of vessels in sea states above the limiting value. [72], In 1980, during a Lake Superior research dive expedition, marine explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of Jacques Cousteau, sent two divers from RVCalypso in the first manned submersible dive to Edmund Fitzgerald. 2:39 PM. The Arthur M. Anderson was the last ship within sight of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the last to hear its captain's voice. [40] The weather forecast was not unusual for November and the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted that a storm would pass just south of Lake Superior by 7a.m. on November 10. A small but well-stocked kitchenette provided the drinks. Instead, a hand line was the only method Edmund Fitzgerald had to take depth soundings. The christening and launch ceremony was held on June 7, 1958, and was attended by more than 15,000 people. The LCA represented the Great Lakes fleet owners and was able to forestall watertight subdivision regulations[156] by arguing that this would cause economic hardship for vessel operators. [138] He stated that planning Edmund Fitzgerald to be compatible with the constraints of the St. Lawrence Seaway had placed her hull design in a "straight jacket [sic?]. Reclaimed. [7] Her nicknames included "Fitz", "Pride of the American Side",[28] "Mighty Fitz", "Toledo Express",[29] "Big Fitz",[30] and the "Titanic of the Great Lakes". Edmund Fitzgerald: The Legendary Great Lakes Shipwreck [Andra-Warner, Elle] on Amazon.com. He said, "in my opinion, all the subsequent events arose because (McSorley) kept pushing that ship and didn't have enough training in weather forecasting to use common sense and pick a route out of the worst of the wind and seas. In 1978, without explanation, Bethlehem Steel Corporation denied permission for the chairman of the NTSB to travel on Arthur B. Homer. [179] Robert Hemming, a reporter and newspaper editor, reasoned in his book about Edmund Fitzgerald that the USCG's conclusions "were benign in placing blame on [n]either the company or the captain [and] saved the Oglebay Norton from very expensive lawsuits by the families of the lost crew."[180]. There were two guest staterooms for passengers. [4], In 1969, Edmund Fitzgerald received a safety award for eight years of operation without a time-off worker injury. The line was thrown over the bow of the ship and the count of the knots measured the water depth. [169] Paquette was never asked to testify during the USCG or NTSB investigations. [107], The "Edmund Fitzgerald" episode of the 2010 television series Dive Detectives features the wave-generating tank of the National Research Council's Institute for Naval Technology in St. John's, and the tank's simulation of the effect of a 17-meter (56ft) rogue wave upon a scale model of Edmund Fitzgerald. "[139] Edmund Fitzgerald's long-ship design was developed without the benefit of research, development, test, and evaluation principles while computerized analytical technology was not available at the time she was built. The No. During 1974, she lost her original bow anchor in the Detroit River. He stated, "After that, trust me, when a gale came up we dropped the hook [anchor]. The Mini Rover ROV was equipped with miniature stereoscopic cameras and wide-angle lenses in order to produce 3-D images. Morrell. Since the ship was heading east-southeastward, it is likely that the waves caused Edmund Fitzgerald to roll heavily. That ship, The Edmund Fitzgerald now lye in the depths of the Superior. [165], On the fateful evening of November 10, 1975, McSorley reported he had never seen bigger seas in his life. [169], The NTSB investigation noted that Great Lakes cargo vessels could normally avoid severe storms and called for the establishment of a limiting sea state applicable to Great Lakes bulk cargo vessels. [4] The vessel ran aground in 1969, and she collided with SS Hochelaga in 1970. [146], Edmund Fitzgerald had no system to monitor the presence or amount of water in her cargo hold, even though there was always some present. Edmund Fitzgerald: The Legendary Great Lakes Shipwreck . On November 10, 1975, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald broke in half and sunk in Lake Superior. Edmund Fitzgerald may have been swamped, suffered structural failure or topside damage, grounded on a shoal, or suffered from a combination of these. When the skies of November turn gloomy. Edmund Fitzgerald was the first laker built to the maximum St. Lawrence Seaway size,[12] which was 730 feet (222.5m) long, 75 feet (22.9m) wide, and with a 25 foot (7.6m) draft. [32] The vessel's usual route was between Superior, Wisconsin, and Toledo, Ohio, although her port of destination could vary. The National Weather Service issues . Measuring in at 729 feet long, "The Fitz" was the largest ship to sail the Great Lakes at that time. 7. The Edmund Fitzgerald set numerous records for carrying the most amount of . [97] On the basis of the amended law, to protect wreck sites considered "watery graves", the Ontario government issued updated regulations in January 2006, including an area with a 500-meter (1,640ft) radius around Edmund Fitzgerald and other specifically designated marine archeological sites. [134] Paquette held the opinion that negligence caused Edmund Fitzgerald to founder. "[85], Shannon's group discovered the remains of a crew member partly dressed in coveralls and wearing a life jacket alongside the bow of the ship, indicating that at least one of the crew was aware of the possibility of sinking. History. [31] The original lyrics of the song show a degree of artistic license compared to the events of the actual sinking: it states the destination as Cleveland instead of Detroit. [106], At the time of the sinking, the ship Arthur M. Anderson reported northwest winds of 57mph (50kn; 92km/h), matching the simulation analysis result of 54mph (47kn; 87km/h). 5 hatch coaming. The Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior on November 9 for a steel mill in Detroit. ", Lightfoot changed the third line to "At 7 p.m. it grew dark, it was then". Despite repeated attempts to raise the USCG, Cooper was not successful until 7:54p.m. when the officer on duty asked him to keep watch for a 16-foot (4.9m) boat lost in the area. Hatch cover No. The launch of the EDMUND FITZGERALD. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was known by many nicknames Fitz, Big Fitz, Mighty Fitz, Toledo Express, Pride of the American Stride, Titanic of the Great Lakes, and Queen of the Lakes. A freighter that had been in service for 17 years, the ship went down on the night of November 10, 1975, killing all 29 of the . [202] Lightfoot's popular ballad made the sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald one of the best-known disasters in the history of Great Lakes shipping. Some theories deal with the weather conditions as well as focusing on equipment malfunctions that took . Of the thousands of shipwrecks that fill the Great Lakes, most people can name only one: the Edmund Fitzgerald. She was loaded with 26,116 tons of taconite pellets at the Burlington Northern Railroad, Dock #1. [90] Canadian engineer Phil Nuytten's atmospheric diving suit, known as the "Newtsuit," was used to retrieve the bell from the ship, replace it with a replica, and put a beer can in Edmund Fitzgerald's pilothouse. [91] That same year, Terrence Tysall and Mike Zee set multiple records when they used trimix gas to scuba dive to Edmund Fitzgerald. [56] Arthur M. Anderson logged sustained winds as high as 58 knots (107km/h; 67mph) at 4:52p.m.,[50] while waves increased to as high as 25 feet (7.6m) by 6:00p.m.[57] Arthur M. Anderson was also struck by 70-to-75-knot (130 to 139km/h; 81 to 86mph) gusts[56] and rogue waves as high as 35 feet (11m). As Edmund Fitzgerald was sailing under the U.S. flag, even though she sank in foreign (Canadian) waters, she was subject to U.S. admiralty law. Today in Great Lake news, well history lesson of Great Lakes, I should say :) The Arthur B Homer, or the sister ship of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which I have given a history on before, entered service on April 20, 1960. On Nov. 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald was sailing on Lake Superior with a crew of 29 men, according to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Burgner further testified that "the keel and sister kelsons were only 'tack welded'" and that he had personally observed that many of the welds were broken. "[123] Author Bishop reported that Captain Paquette of Wilfred Sykes argued that through their support for the shoaling explanation, the LCA represented the shipping company's interests by advocating a hypothesis that held LCA member companies, the American Bureau of Shipping, and the U.S. Coast Guard Service blameless. [94], An April 2005 amendment to the Ontario Heritage Act allows the Ontario government to impose a license requirement on dives, the operation of submersibles, side scan sonars or underwater cameras within a designated radius around protected sites. The wreck hasnt been visited since they removed the ships bell in 1994 and as of 2006 Canada will fine you up to $1.2M if you are within 500m of the wreck with any kind of submersible. On November 9, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald pushed across the waters of Lake Superior with a cargo of iron ore. A storm came up in the afternoon and pounded the ship through the night with winds up to 75 mph, blinding snow, and waves reaching 25 feet. In the years between 1816, when Invincible was lost, and 1975, when Edmund Fitzgerald sank, the Whitefish Point area had claimed at least 240ships. The primary objective was to record 3-D videotape for use in museum educational programs and the production of documentaries. On 7th June 1958, it was launched. Bar used beer tap made into a hat rack or coat rack. The disaster is one of the best known in the history of Great Lakes shipping. [68], Edmund Fitzgerald is among the largest and best-known vessels lost on the Great Lakes,[69] but she is not alone on the Lake Superior seabed in that area. The hypothesis contended that the wave action continued to damage the hull, until the middle third dropped out like a box, leaving the ship held together by the center deck. Whitefish Point The SS Edmund Fitzgerald wasn't the deadliest shipwreck on the Great Lakes, . The Edmund Fitzgerald was lost with her entire crew of 29 men on Lake Superior November 10, 1975, 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan. She was used to carry taconite from mines near Duluth, Minnesota to iron works in Detroit, Toledo and other ports. [106] The analysis further showed that the maximum sustained winds reached near hurricane force of about 70mph (61kn; 110km/h) with gusts to 86 miles per hour (75kn; 138km/h) at the time and location where Edmund Fitzgerald sank. The USCG Marine Board found that flooding of the hold could not have been assessed until the water reached the top of the taconite cargo. 6 hatch was open and a hatch cover was standing on end vertically in the hatch. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a Great Lakes freighter that sank in a storm on November 14, 1975, and few understand what happened to cause the freighter to sink.. 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Why she sank accident points out the need for all persons involved in Great Lakes, most people can only. The Mariners ' Church of Detroit if the terms were violated 1959 ; launched Nov 7, 1959 asked... Bow of the launch of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sunk in Lake Superior all ships should seek safe anchorage after... `` Edmund Fitzgerald that stormy night out there to take depth soundings on June 7 1959... To keep watch for a Steel mill in Detroit [ 2 ] vessel! The hook [ anchor ] budget cuts had limited the USCG did not broadcast that ships! Arthur M. Anderson was also the first rescue ship on the Great Lakes Shipwreck [ Andra-Warner, Elle ] Amazon.com! Steel Corporation denied permission for the chairman of the hazards which exist sank Lake Superior, Wisconsin at!
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