Sea Wing disaster

Coordinates: 44°32′54″N 92°19′31″W / 44.548458°N 92.325368°W / 44.548458; -92.325368

History
Name: Sea Wing
Completed: 1888
General characteristics
Length: 110 ft
Beam: 20.8 ft
Draught: 4.5 ft
Installed power: 2 steam engines, 10 in diameter, 6 ft stroke
Propulsion: Sternwheel paddleboat
Notes: Former towboat turned excursion boat

The Sea Wing disaster occurred on July 13, 1890 when a strong squall line overturned the excursion vessel Sea Wing on Lake Pepin near Lake City, Minnesota. About 215 people were aboard the vessel when it was overturned, and as a result 98 people drowned. An excursion barge that was being towed by the Sea Wing was unharmed. It is one of the worst maritime disasters that has occurred on the upper Mississippi River.[1]

Tornadoes had occurred earlier in the evening farther north in the Twin Cities area,[2] but it is believed that downburst winds from a thunderstorm caused the event.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Budig, T.W. "Day-long excursion on Lake Pepin turns into one of the deadliest disasters on Upper Mississippi". EMC. Archived from the original on 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  2. Seeley, Mark W. (2006). Minnesota Weather Almanac. Minnesota Historical Society press. pp. 185–186. ISBN 0-87351-554-4.

External Links

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