Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast Episode 11: Historian David Saint-Pierre
The RMS Empress of Ireland ocean liner sank in just 14 minutes in the St. Lawrence River near Rimouski, Quebec, Canada, on May 29, 1914, after a collision in the fog. More than 60 percent of her passengers died in the early hours. Almost immediately salvage efforts began.
“For three and a half months, up till mid-September, they worked over the wreck of the Empress, bringing up bodies of the victims, bringing up the mailbags that they could reach, bringing up a large purser's safe, and salvaging also, 251 silver bars that the Empress carried," said David Saint-Pierre.
In this episode, host Kathy A. Smith talks with historian David Saint-Pierre about the events of the sinking, the stories of the victims, and the amazing photos of the salvage operations; a once-in-a-lifetime find that spurred David to write his new book, released this month.