Fifty years ago today, one of the largest freighters to ever navigate the Great Lakes met a tragic fate as it succumbed to a fierce storm, resulting in the loss of all 29 crew members.

This maritime disaster took place near Whitefish Point, Michigan, where, on Monday, thousands gathered to honor and remember those who perished.

Launched from Detroit in 1958, the Edmund Fitzgerald was celebrated as the grandest vessel of the Great Lakes. However, on November 10, 1975, after 17 years of service, it sank under mysterious circumstances, becoming one of the most enigmatic shipwrecks in maritime history.