"The captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril"-Gordon Lightfoot, 1976
And the good ship and crew was in peril"-Gordon Lightfoot, 1976
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is shrouded in mystery, and rumors have spread like wildfire. While no one will ever know exactly what happened, and reliable sources are limited, there are several things that are known:
- The Fitzgerald’s crew was aware of the storm. They made the decision to stay in contact with the SS Arthur M Anderson, a fellow iron ore carrier, and the two captains agreed to take a more Northerly route.
- The storm blinded the Fitzgerald. Both of the Fitzgerald’s radar units were damaged and unusable, so they relied on the Anderson and a radio beacon at Whitefish Point. The beacon had its power cut due to the storm, completely blinding the Fitzgerald, forcing her to rely solely on the Anderson.
- “At approximately 1530, 10 November, FITZGERALD reported some topside damage and a list but did not say what caused this damage or express any urgency in the report.” “Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I'm checking down. Will you stay by me ‘til I get to Whitefish? -SS Edmund Fitzgerald Online”
- The last words from the ship were “We are holding our own."
- “No distress message was received from FITZGERALD. - U.S Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report No. USCG 16732/64216”
- The Fitzgerald sits in 535 ft of water, 17 miles from the safety on Whitefish Bay, and broken in two parts. The stern section is inverted and both are plowed deep into the mud.
- No bodies were recovered, however evidence suggests that all 29 persons went down with the ship, and remain with her.
For all the facts, straight from the source, download the attached PDF of the Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report provided below.
USCG Marine Casualty Report No. 16732/64216.pdf |