The loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald remains one of the most famous shipwrecks in history. Fifty years ago, on Nov. 10, 1975, all 29 crew members died as the ship sank in a disastrous storm on Lake Superior. The mystery that surrounds it and Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” have created a fascination with the ship that has endured and seems to grow stronger with time. Story by Dan Kraker Video by Anne Guttridge Video of the beacon lighting by Eric Dischino for

The Edmund Fitzgerald sank 50 years ago… but the mystery still haunts Lake Superior. Why did this infamous shipwreck happen — and what have experts discovered since? Hear from Wisconsin’s own maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen and producer/filmmaker Regan Ernst as they unravel the truth behind the Great Lakes’ most legendary wreck. Photo credit: Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, Marquette MI Maritime Museum | Discover Wisconsin