Changes

At 5:45 PM, Captain McSorley was in communication with the ship ''Avafors'', indicating ''Fitzgerald'' was suffering a bad list, had lost both radars, and was taking in heavy seas over the deck. Captain McSorley stated: "One of the worst seas I've ever been in."

At 5:45 PM, Captain McSorley was in communication with the ship ''Avafors'', indicating ''Fitzgerald'' was suffering a bad list, had lost both radars, and was taking in heavy seas over the deck. Captain McSorley stated: "One of the worst seas I've ever been in."

====Disappearence====

====Disappearence====

At 7:00 PM, ''Anderson'', trailing ''Fitzgerald'' by about 10 miles, was struck by two waves estimated at 25 feet or higher. At 7:10 PM, Captain McSorley told ''Anderson'' "We are holding our own." This was the last communication from the Fitzgerald. At 7:15 PM November 10th, ''Anderson'' lost ''Fitzgerald'' on radar as a snow squall enveloped the doomed ship.

At 7:00 PM, ''Anderson'', trailing ''Fitzgerald'' by about 10 miles, was struck by two waves estimated at 25 feet or higher. At 7:10 PM, Captain McSorley told ''Anderson'' "We are holding our own." This was the last communication from the Fitzgerald. At 7:15 PM November 10, ''Anderson'' lost ''Fitzgerald'' on radar as a snow squall enveloped the doomed ship.

''Anderson'' tried to contact ''Fitzgerald'' again, but to no avail. A worried Captain Cooper called the Coast Guard at Sault Ste. Marie to report his concern about ''Fitzgerald'', but the storm severely impacted search operations. ''Anderson'' turned out to be the primary vessel in the search and later that night discovered two badly damaged lifeboats and some other debris, but no survivors.

''Anderson'' tried to contact ''Fitzgerald'' again, but to no avail. A worried Captain Cooper called the Coast Guard at Sault Ste. Marie to report his concern about ''Fitzgerald'', but the storm severely impacted search operations. ''Anderson'' turned out to be the primary vessel in the search and later that night discovered two badly damaged lifeboats and some other debris, but no survivors.

The Coast Guard conducted a thorough search in the next several days. On the 14th, a U.S. Navy plane with a special magnetic anomaly detector located a strong contact about 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point. During the next three days, the Coast Guard cutter ''Woodrush'' located two large pieces of wreckage in the same area under about 535 feet of water. A Navy underwater recovery vehicle on May 20, 1976, photographed the wreckage. The pictures clearly showed the words "Edmund Fitzgerald" on the stern piece of the sunken ship.

The Coast Guard conducted a thorough search in the next several days. On the 14th, a U.S. Navy plane with a special magnetic anomaly detector located a strong contact about 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point. During the next three days, the Coast Guard cutter ''Woodrush'' located two large pieces of wreckage in the same area under about 535 feet of water. A Navy underwater recovery vehicle on May 20, 1976, photographed the wreckage. The pictures clearly showed the words "Edmund Fitzgerald" on the stern piece of the sunken ship.

==Aftermath==

==Aftermath==

Since ''Fitzgerald'' never called for help and the ship?s lifeboats were found badly damaged--indicating they were never launched but instead smashed while still secured to the ship-the Coast Guard determined the ship sank abruptly. The Coast Guard concluded these were the primary factors that caused ''Fitzgerald'' to sink:

Since ''Fitzgerald'' never called for help and the ship?s lifeboats were found badly damaged—indicating they were never launched but instead smashed while still secured to the ship-the Coast Guard determined the ship sank abruptly. The Coast Guard concluded these were the primary factors that caused ''Fitzgerald'' to sink:

*''Fitzgerald'' sat very low in the water, increasing the frequency and quantity of water that could flood the deck.  

*''Fitzgerald'' sat very low in the water, increasing the frequency and quantity of water that could flood the deck.  

*The loose hatch covers allowed water spilling onboard to enter the cargo area, causing the ship to sink even lower and take on more and more water.  

*The loose hatch covers allowed water spilling onboard to enter the cargo area, causing the ship to sink even lower and take on more and more water.