SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship on the Great Lakes at the time, sank in Lake Superior during a storm, November 10, 1975, resulting in the loss of her entire crew of 29. She left Superior, Wisconsin on November 9 under the command of Capt. Ernest McSorley, en route to Zug Island, near Detroit, Michigan.
The National Weather Service tracked a storm, but predicted it would pass south of Lake Superior. The next day, the NWS altered its forecast and reported that gale force winds were expected for Lake Superior.
Just after 3:30pm on Nov 10, Capt. McSorley radioed the Arthur M. Anderson, another cargo ship about 10 miles behind them, to say they were taking on water and they had developed a list. Winds of over 50 knots (58 mph) were observed as were waves up to 25 feet.
Arthur M. Anderson notified McSorley at about 7:10pm and the captain replied "We are holding our own." It was the last message heard from the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Four days later, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was located about 15 miles west of Deadman's Cove, Ontario, at a depth of 530 feet. She lay in two pieces with scattered wreckage around. Although the wreck has been extensively researched, there has not been a definitive reason given as to why she sank.
Gordon Lightfoot wrote and composed The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1976 and made it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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