🚢 The Tragic Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald 🚢 🚢

The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 10, 1975, the massive freighter, laden with over 26,000 tons of iron ore pellets, embarked on what would tragically become its final voyage. The Fitzgerald was a true behemoth, measuring over 729ft in length. But even her size couldn't protect her from the fury of Lake Superior. The storm that night was one of the worst in history. With wind gusts exceeding 80, waves cresting as high as 35ft, the crew of 29 experienced sailors faced relentless conditions, doing everything they could to keep the ship afloat. Captain Ernest McSorley, a seasoned mariner, reported the ship was taking on water and had lost radar capabilities. Despite these ominous signs, he pressed on, hopeful that they could make safe harbor. However, communication was lost just after 07:00 p.m. the last message heard from the Fitzgerald was McSorley's calm yet chilling words, we are holding our own. But just 2 hours later, the Edmund Fitzgerald vanished from radar screens, sinking to the bottom of lake Superior without a single distress signal. It was as if the ship had been swallowed whole by the icy depths. In the days and weeks that followed, a massive search effort was launched.