SS Francisco Morazan

SS Francisco Morazan was a cargo vessel that was built in Germany in 1922. It was originally named Arcadia and was renamed several times during its service. The ship was finally named Francisco Morazan after the Central American statesman and general Francisco Morazan, who was a key figure in the Federal Republic of Central America in the early 19th century.

History

The ship was built by Bremer Vulkan in Vegesack, Germany, and was launched in 1922. It was initially owned by Hamburg America Line, a German shipping company. Over the years, the ship changed hands and names several times. It was renamed Francisco Morazan in 1957 when it was bought by the Panamanian company Navemar.

Final voyage and wreck

On November 28, 1960, the Francisco Morazan left Chicago for the Netherlands with a cargo of various goods. On November 29, the ship ran aground near South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan during a snowstorm. The crew was rescued, but the ship was abandoned and eventually became a total loss. The wreck is now a popular site for scuba divers.

Legacy

The wreck of the Francisco Morazan is one of the most accessible shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. It is part of the Michigan Underwater Preserves, a system of protected areas in the Great Lakes that preserve historically significant shipwrecks and other underwater cultural resources.