Mystery Solved: Missing Over A Century, 2 Vessels Lost In Great Lakes Found

DETROIT (WWJ) - A mystery spanning well over a century and hundreds of feet below the water has been solved.

Two vessels that had been lost in the Great Lakes since the late 1800's have been found.

Guy Meadows director of the Great Lakes Research Center says that one ship was a steamer called the Choctaw and the other - a wooden bulk freighter named the Ohio were found at a depth of 300 feet.

"The Choctaw was very difficult because part of the wreck is stuck into the bottom - we guess about 60 feet of it, it's like a lawn dart," described Meadows. "And the stern of the vessel is sticking up in the water about 60 feet above the bottom, so it's was a very peculiar geometry."

Working around the clock for three straight weeks -- the crew was determined to find the lost vessels.

"They knew they were out there somewhere, but it's an awful big ocean out there and it's hard to find things --even as big as a ship," he said.

Meadows says that after "suspect targets" were observed - his team was able to go in with a fully autonomous underwater vehicle to get "an up-close personal look."