A new look inside the Edmund Fitzgerald

Exploring the theories of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking

Timed with the 30th anniversary of the deadly storm that brought down the Edmund Fitzgerald, this graphic in the Cleveland Plain Dealer was aimed at breaking down the most popular theories of what caused it to sink.

I partnered with my colleague William Neff to interview historians, shipping experts and meteorologists to piece together the ship’s story. We pored over blueprints and archival photographs to build a 3D model of the ship that highlights the key structural pieces that may have been compromised. The illustrations provided a new look inside the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The graphic also illustrates what has changed in Great Lakes shipping and what sort of response would be expected if the wreck had happened today.