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The wreck of the steamer S.R. Kirby is found after 103 years - video

Listen to this article A team of scientists searching for wrecks in the Great Lakes Region of the northern US, discovered in recent weeks the long-forgotten wreck of the steamer S.R. Kirby, resting for 103 years at the bottom of Lake Superior. The sunken vessel was located at a depth of 800 metres, near Eagle

ByTomasz Andrukajtis

Published: August 14, 2019 - 20:02

Updated: July 22, 2023 - 18:31

The wreck of the steamer S.R. Kirby is found after 103 years – video

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A team of scientists searching for wrecks in the Great Lakes Region of the northern US, discovered in recent weeks the long-forgotten wreck of the steamer S.R. Kirby, resting for 103 years at the bottom of Lake Superior. The sunken vessel was located at a depth of 800 metres, near Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

Darryl Ertel Jr. who led the operation, along with a team of researchers from the Great Lakes Historical Society, found and identified the sunken steamer using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). The object, which has the potential for further research, was discovered while scouring the bottom with side-scan sonar last year, but only now has it been possible to conduct a thorough visual inspection.

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Thanks to the documentation collected with the ROV, it was possible to obtain data that made it possible to determine the identity of the wreck without a shadow of a doubt. Researchers have no doubt that this is the steamer S.R.Kirby, built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company in 1890, which sank in May 1916.

On her last voyage, the steamer towed the steel barge George E. Hartnell. Both vessels were heavily laden and filled to the brim with iron ore. Reports from that day state that a strong gale with winds reaching 80 mph reached Lake Superior and created extremely difficult conditions for the crew of the steamer. Despite the loss of the vessel, 22 crew members and… the captain’s dog survived.

Source: shipwreckmuseum.com

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About author

Tomasz Andrukajtis

Editor-in-chief of the DIVERS24 portal and magazine. Responsible for obtaining, translating and developing content. He also supervises all publications. Achived his first diving certification – P1 CMAS, in 2000. Has a degree in journalism and social communication. In the diving industry since 2008.