Titanic

The immediate cause of RMS Titanic’s demise was a collision with an iceberg that caused the ocean liner to sink on April 14–15, 1912. While the ship could reportedly stay afloat if as many as 4 of its 16 compartments were breached, the impact had affected at least 5 compartments. It was originally believed that the iceberg had caused a long gash in the hull. After examining the wreck, however, scientists discovered that the collision had produced a series of thin gashes as well as brittle fracturing and separation of seams in the adjacent hull plates, thus allowing water to flood into the Titanic. Later examination of retrieved ship parts—as well as paperwork in the builder’s archives—led to speculation that low-quality steel or weak rivets may have contributed to the sinking.

The exact number of people killed when the Titanic sank is unknown. However, it is generally believed that of the ship’s approximately 2,200 passengers and crew members, some 1,500 people perished when it sank. The crew suffered the most casualties, with about 700 fatalities.

The Titanic was discovered in 1985, some 73 years after it sank. In August, Robert Ballard, working with the Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER; French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea), led an expedition from aboard the U.S. Navy research ship Knorr. The quest was partly a means for testing the Argo, a 16-foot (5-meter) submersible sled equipped with a remote-controlled camera that could transmit live images to a monitor. The submersible was sent some 12,500 feet (3,810 meters)—or 2.4 miles (3.9 km)—to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. On September 1, 1985, the first underwater images of the Titanic were recorded as its giant boilers were discovered. Later video showed the ship lying upright in two pieces. While the bow was clearly recognizable, the stern section was severely damaged.

On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank after striking an iceberg. Of the some 2,200 people on board, only about 705 survived. About 491 survivors were passengers, and 214 were crew members. First-class passengers had the highest survival rate, at about 62 percent. The crew experienced the lowest survival rate, with more than 75 percent perishing. Third-class passengers also suffered heavy losses, as only about 25 percent survived.

When Titanic embarked on its doomed maiden voyage in 1912, it was one of the largest ships in the world. The ocean liner had a gross registered tonnage (i.e., carrying capacity) of 46,328 tons, and when fully laden the ship displaced (weighed) more than 52,000 tons. The Titanic was approximately 882.5 feet (269 meters) long and about 92.5 feet (28.2 meters) wide at its widest point.

The wreck of the Titanic is at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, some 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater. It is about 400 nautical miles (740 km) from Newfoundland, Canada.

From the outset, the Titanic captured the public’s imagination. At the time, it was one of the largest and most opulent ships in the world. It was also considered unsinkable, due to a series of compartment doors that could be closed if the bow was breached. However, four days into its maiden voyage in 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg, and less than three hours later it sank. The drama of the eyewitness accounts and the great loss of life helped make it one of the most well-known tragedies in modern history. After the 1985 discovery of its wreckage, interest in the Titanic only increased, and its enduring appeal was evident with the huge success of James Cameron’s 1997 film about the doomed ocean liner.

The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, at 2:20 AM, some 2 hours and 40 minutes after hitting an iceberg. Shortly after the collision, water began filling the mail room and the foremost boiler room. By 1:00 AM, water was seen at the base (E deck) of the Grand Staircase. Less than an hour later, the Titanic’s bow had sunk low enough that the stern’s propellers were clearly visible above the water. At around 2:00 AM, the ship’s bow was completely submerged. Eighteen minutes later, the lights went out as the power was lost.

As the Titanic’s bow continued to sink, the stern rose higher out of the water, placing great strain on the midsection, and the ship broke in two between the third and fourth funnels. Reports would later speculate that it took some six minutes for the bow section, likely traveling at approximately 30 miles (48 km) per hour, to reach the ocean bottom.

The stern momentarily settled back in the water before rising again, eventually becoming vertical. It briefly remained in that position before beginning its final plunge. At 2:20 AM the stern disappeared into the ocean, and the Titanic was gone. Water pressure allegedly caused the stern, which still had air inside, to implode as it sank. The stern landed some 2,000 feet (610 meters) from the bow.