After a 60-year search, maritime explorers located the wreck of the luxurious steamer Lac La Belle, which sank in Lake Michigan during a violent storm in 1872. The discovery was made using side-scan sonar, aided by a critical clue from fellow wreck hunter Ross Richardson.
Built in 1864 as a passenger steamer, the Lac La Belle was later repurposed as a freighter. It sank in 1872 while carrying cargo and 53 passengers, with eight lives lost in the disaster. The wreck remained hidden for 153 years until its recent rediscovery.
Despite being underwater for over a century, the wreck is well-preserved, with a solid hull and intact oak interiors, though quagga mussels cover its exterior and upper cabins have collapsed.
Invasive mussels threaten Great Lakes shipwrecks, accelerating decay and prompting wreck hunters like Paul Ehorn (who has found 15 wrecks) to document them before they deteriorate further.
Ehorn intends to showcase the discovery at the 2026 Ghost Ships Festival, revealing underwater footage and a 3D model before disclosing the wreck’s exact location. The find highlights both the perseverance of explorers and the enduring mysteries of the Great Lakes.
After decades of searching, maritime explorers have uncovered the wreck of the Lac La Belle, a once-luxurious steamer that vanished into the depths of Lake Michigan during a violent storm in 1872. The discovery, announced by Shipwreck World, marks the culmination of a 60-year mission led by Illinois shipwreck hunter Paul Ehorn, 80, who first set his sights on the vessel as a teenager.
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