HOUGHTON — Members of the Great Lakes Smart Ships Coalition are conducting follow-up mapping and archaeological exploration in Lake Superior this week, aiming to find the wreckage of a plane that disappeared in 1968.
The team is leaving the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan Technological University each day to inspect targets identified from their September 2024 search. They hope to locate the wreckage of a National Center for Atmospheric Research plane that vanished over Lake Superior during a mission to collect water radiation and temperature data.
“We identified dozens of anomalies in the first search, ultimately narrowing them down to a half dozen high-priority targets based on size, shape, and likelihood of being unnatural features,” said Travis White, Research Engineer at the Great Lakes Research Center and project lead.“ This next phase is a critical step in identifying and characterizing our findings.”
The search is utilizing advanced technology, including a Side Scan Sonar device that provides real-time data from the targets identified during the initial 45-square-mile search of the lakebed last September.
Additionally, a Remote Operated Vehicle is being deployed for closer inspection of some areas.
Once the exploration is complete, the team plans to provide an update with the results, whether they reveal significant discoveries or simply help confirm the natural geology of the lakebed.
The project is part of the Lakebed 2030 Initiative, which aims to promote greater understanding and stewardship of the Great Lakes.
“Beyond solving specific challenges and enhancing existing techniques, these tests will contribute to developing the next generation of maritime professionals and solidifying the Great Lakes St. Lawrence region’s status as a hub for freshwater marine autonomy research and development,” said David Naftzger, executive director of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers.