On May 11, 1953, one of the most devastating maritime disasters on the Great Lakes unfolded when the SS Henry Steinbrenner capsized during a fierce spring storm on Lake Superior. Fourteen crew members, including the captain, went down with the ship, but 17 others survived against impossible odds.
In this gripping episode of Dangerous Tides, we investigate:
How a veteran 52-year-old ore carrier with known structural issues was allowed to sail into a forecast gale with 100+ mph winds
The desperate race against time as freezing water flooded the engine room
Eyewitness accounts from survivors who endured 5 hours in 38°F water
The controversial decision to abandon ship that split the crew in two—and determined who lived and who died
How the disaster changed Great Lakes shipping safety regulations forever
Dive into this harrowing tale of human error, corporate negligence, heroism, and the unforgiving power of Lake Superior, the lake that, as sailors say, "never gives up her dead."
Dangerous Tides explores forgotten maritime disasters that changed history. New episodes every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.
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