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Winter storm, winds above 110 km/h, and a sudden rupture turned the cargo ship’s last voyage into a tragedy with only one survivor
The shipwreck of the SS Daniel J. Morrell occurred in the early hours of November 29, 1966, during a violent storm on Lake Huron.
The vessel broke in half and quickly sank in the icy waters of the border between the United States and Canada.
Of the 29 crew members on board, only Dennis Hale, then 26 years old, managed to survive. The young man remained about 38 hours on a raft until he was found.
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SS Daniel J. Morrell sailed the Great Lakes since 1906
Built in 1906 by the West Bay City Ship Building Company, the SS Daniel J. Morrell became a well-known vessel in regional navigation.
The cargo ship was approximately 183 meters long and had the capacity to carry about 12 thousand tons of cargo.
Its name honored Daniel Johnson Morrell, a former American congressman. For decades, the ship transported raw materials, mainly steel and ore, across the Great Lakes.
An additional mission was assigned to the cargo ship at the end of the 1966 navigation season, after another vessel experienced mechanical problems.
Journey began three days before the shipwreck
The departure took place on November 26, 1966, when the ship left Buffalo, New York.
Its destination was the Port of Taconite, Minnesota, where it would receive a load of iron ore.
The weather conditions worsened as the cargo ship advanced through Lake Huron. Winds exceeding 110 kilometers per hour hit the vessel.
Intense snow and waves over ten meters high also hindered the crossing. The structure held for a few hours but began to give way shortly before two in the morning.
Loud crash revealed that the ship was breaking apart
Dennis Hale woke up after hearing a crash and went out to check what was happening.
The scene revealed that the SS Daniel J. Morrell was breaking in half. Hale put on some clothes and immediately donned a life jacket.
Other crew members tried to reach the emergency equipment. The little time available, however, prevented an organized evacuation.
The complete rupture happened in a few minutes. An inflatable raft was launched into the waters, but only four men managed to reach it.
Stern of the freighter created false hope of rescue
The survivors observed a structure that seemed to be another vessel approaching.
The supposed help was, in reality, the stern of the SS Daniel J. Morrell itself, which continued to float after the separation.
The freighter sank approximately eight minutes after the alarm. No distress call could be transmitted before the vessel disappeared.
Three of the four men who reached the raft died during the following hours due to exposure to the cold and freezing winds.
Dennis Hale waited 38 hours for rescue
Dennis Hale endured for approximately 38 hours in near-freezing temperatures.
A helicopter from the United States Coast Guard finally found the survivor in critical condition.
Hale later stated that his few clothes may have contributed to his survival. The heavier garments worn by his companions might have accumulated ice quickly.
Investigation pointed to storm and structural fragility
Subsequent investigations linked the sinking to the combination of the extreme storm and the structural fragility of the freighter.
The steel used in older vessels had a high sulfur content and could become more brittle under very low temperatures.
The wreckage of the SS Daniel J. Morrell was found in 1979, near the coast of Michigan, at approximately 44 meters deep.
Dennis Hale spent decades recounting the tragedy and describing his companions as his true family. The sole survivor died in 2015, nearly 49 years after the shipwreck.
How do you believe Dennis Hale managed to endure for 38 hours in the extreme cold after the shipwreck of the SS Daniel J. Morrell?
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