# Canonical recap data for Sinking of the RMS Titanic (1912)
# Source: https://recap.at/1912/sinking-of-the-rms-titanic
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: sinking-of-the-rms-titanic
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1912/sinking-of-the-rms-titanic"
title: Sinking of the RMS Titanic
aliases:
- Titanic disaster
- Titanic wreck
- April 15, 1912
subtitle: "The ocean's hubris: 1,500 deaths, one iceberg, zero lifeboats for everyone."
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1912-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1912
decade: 1910
country:
name: United Kingdom
slug: united-kingdom
summaryShort: The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, and sank in under three hours, killing more than 1,500 of the 2,224 people aboard.
summaryLong: |-
  On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic departed Southampton on its maiden voyage to New York City, carrying 2,224 passengers and crew. The ship was considered unsinkable-at 882 feet long and 46,000 tons, it was the largest vessel afloat at the time, equipped with the latest safety features including a double bottom, watertight compartments, and wireless telegraph apparatus operated by crew members Jack Phillips and Harold Bride.

  At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee spotted an iceberg approximately 500 yards ahead. First Officer William Murdoch ordered the engines reversed and the helm hard to starboard, but the ship's momentum-traveling at roughly 22.5 knots-made evasion impossible. The iceberg scraped along the starboard side, breaching the hull across six compartments. Captain Edward Smith was informed within minutes that the ship would sink.

  The wireless operators began broadcasting distress signals at 12:05 a.m. The nearest ship, the Californian, had its wireless operator asleep; the Carpathia, 58 miles away, heard the call and turned toward the sinking vessel. The Titanic had only 20 lifeboats aboard-enough for approximately 1,178 people, or 53 percent of those on board. Officers enforced the "women and children first" protocol inconsistently across different boat launches, and many lifeboats departed partially full.

  The ship broke in two at 2:20 a.m. and sank into the freezing Atlantic. Of the 2,224 people aboard, 1,517 died-approximately 68 percent. The Carpathia arrived at 3:30 a.m. and rescued 710 survivors from the lifeboats. The disaster triggered immediate investigations: the U.S. Senate's inquiry, led by Senator William Alden Smith, began on April 19, 1912, and the British Board of Trade inquiry followed in May, both concluding that insufficient lifeboat capacity and excessive speed in ice-filled waters were primary causes.

  The Titanic's wreck remained undiscovered for 73 years until Robert Ballard located it on September 1, 1985, at a depth of 12,500 feet. The sinking fundamentally changed maritime safety regulations, including requirements for sufficient lifeboats, 24-hour radio watch, and ice patrols in the North Atlantic.
lede: The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage across the Atlantic, killing over 1,500 people. The ship was thought to be unsinkable because of its size and modern safety features, but it carried far too few lifeboats for everyone aboard. The disaster exposed fatal gaps in maritime safety and triggered international reforms that still govern ocean travel today.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/St%C3%B6wer_Titanic.jpg/1280px-St%C3%B6wer_Titanic.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Sinking of the Titanic"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Ship length
  value: 882 feet (269 meters)
- label: Ship tonnage
  value: 46,000 tons
- label: Total people aboard
  value: 2,224
- label: Deaths
  value: 1,517
- label: Lifeboat capacity
  value: 1,178 people
- label: Number of lifeboats
  value: "20"
- label: Time to sink
  value: 2 hours 40 minutes
- label: Water depth at wreck site
  value: 12,500 feet (3,810 meters)
- label: Years until wreck found
  value: 73 years
timeline:
- date: 1912-04-10
  title: Titanic departs Southampton
  description: The RMS Titanic leaves Southampton on its maiden voyage to New York City with 2,224 passengers and crew.
- date: 1912-04-14
  title: Iceberg collision
  description: "At 11:40 p.m., lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee spot an iceberg. First Officer William Murdoch orders evasive action, but the ship strikes the iceberg at 11:40 p.m., breaching six compartments."
- date: 1912-04-15
  title: Distress signals broadcast
  description: "At 12:05 a.m., wireless operators Jack Phillips and Harold Bride begin transmitting distress signals. The Carpathia, 58 miles away, receives the call and alters course."
- date: 1912-04-15
  title: Lifeboat evacuation begins
  description: "The first lifeboat is lowered into the water at 12:45 a.m. Officers enforce 'women and children first' protocol, though many boats depart partially full."
- date: 1912-04-15
  title: Ship breaks and sinks
  description: "At 2:20 a.m., the Titanic breaks in two and sinks beneath the Atlantic. 1,517 people perish in the wreck and freezing water."
- date: 1912-04-15
  title: Carpathia arrives
  description: "At 3:30 a.m., the Carpathia reaches the lifeboat survivors and begins rescue operations, recovering 710 people."
- date: 1912-04-19
  title: U.S. Senate inquiry begins
  description: Senator William Alden Smith opens the U.S. Senate's formal investigation into the disaster, focusing on safety regulations and lifeboat capacity.
- date: 1912-05-02
  title: British inquiry opens
  description: The British Board of Trade begins its formal investigation under Lord Mersey, examining causes and procedures.
- date: 1985-09-01
  title: Wreck discovered
  description: Oceanographer Robert Ballard locates the Titanic wreck at a depth of 12,500 feet in the North Atlantic, 73 years after the sinking.
sources: []
related: []
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/LuxuriesVersusLifeboatsPuckMagazine1912.jpg/1280px-LuxuriesVersusLifeboatsPuckMagazine1912.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/LuxuriesVersusLifeboatsPuckMagazine1912.jpg/800px-LuxuriesVersusLifeboatsPuckMagazine1912.jpg"
  caption: LuxuriesVersusLifeboatsPuckMagazine1912
  credit: Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956, artist
  width: 5239
  height: 7805
  alt: A skeletal death figure looms over a sinking ship in icy waters surrounded by drowning passengers and lifeboats, illustrating the stark contrast between the Titanic's luxury and the inadequate lifesaving provisions that led to mass casualties. The grim reaper presides over the maritime disaster as small boats struggle in the turbulent sea below towering icebergs.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Titanic_the_sinking.jpg/1280px-Titanic_the_sinking.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Titanic_the_sinking.jpg/800px-Titanic_the_sinking.jpg"
  caption: Titanic the sinking
  credit: Wikimedia Commons
  width: 600
  height: 395
  alt: A black and white historical illustration depicts the final moments of the RMS Titanic sinking into the ocean at night, with lifeboats full of passengers in the foreground and the massive ship's bow submerged in the water as its stern rises at a steep angle, accompanied by annotated labels identifying key features of the disaster.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Titanic_sinking%2C_painting_by_Willy_St%C3%B6wer.jpg/1280px-Titanic_sinking%2C_painting_by_Willy_St%C3%B6wer.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Titanic_sinking%2C_painting_by_Willy_St%C3%B6wer.jpg/800px-Titanic_sinking%2C_painting_by_Willy_St%C3%B6wer.jpg"
  caption: Titanic sinking, painting by Willy Stöwer
  credit: Willy Stöwer
  width: 3000
  height: 1688
  alt: A dramatic illustration depicting the RMS Titanic sinking bow-first into the ocean, with lifeboats filled with passengers in the foreground and icebergs visible in the misty background. Crew members and passengers can be seen clinging to the tilted deck and in the water as the massive ship goes down in this historical artistic rendering of the 1912 maritime disaster.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Titanic_sinking_New_York_Herald.jpg/1280px-Titanic_sinking_New_York_Herald.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Titanic_sinking_New_York_Herald.jpg/800px-Titanic_sinking_New_York_Herald.jpg"
  caption: Titanic sinking New York Herald
  credit: New York Herald
  width: 417
  height: 200
  alt: A historical illustration depicts the RMS Titanic sinking into dark waters at night, with the ship's bow submerged and stern raised at a steep angle as passengers and crew members attempt to evacuate using lifeboats and rigging.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- disaster
metaDescription: The unsinkable ship went down in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg. Over 1,500 passengers and crew perished in one of history's deadliest maritime disasters.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:sinking-of-the-rms-titanic"
impactStatement: The Titanic's sinking on April 15, 1912, killed over 1,500 people and exposed catastrophic failures in maritime safety standards, regulatory oversight, and class-based evacuation protocols. The disaster prompted sweeping international reforms to passenger ship design, lifeboat capacity, and radio watch procedures that reshaped ocean travel for a century.
relationships:
- targetSlug: sinking-lusitania
  type: anticipated
  confidence: 72
  evidence: The Titanic's inadequate lifeboat provision (20 lifeboats for 2,224 passengers and crew) became the template for recognizing passenger ship vulnerability; the Lusitania's sinking in 1915 occurred on a vessel operating under the same pre-Titanic safety standards that had just been revised.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: first-transatlantic-nonstop-flight
  type: happened_during
  confidence: 51
  evidence: The Titanic disaster accelerated development of wireless radio communication and transatlantic maritime infrastructure; by 1919, aviation competed with ocean liners as the safer transatlantic crossing method, directly enabled by radio navigation systems born from post-Titanic maritime reforms.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: columbus-reaches-americas
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Sinking of the RMS Titanic" references "Columbus Reaches the Americas" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: first-opium-war
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Sinking of the RMS Titanic" references "First Opium War begins" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: stockton-darlington-railway
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Sinking of the RMS Titanic" references "First Passenger Railway Opens (Stockton & Darlington)" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Transatlantic crossing time
  thenValue: 7 days
  thenYear: 1912
  nowValue: 7 hours
  nowYear: 2024
  note: RMS Titanic took roughly a week; modern aircraft cross in under a day
- metric: Lifeboat capacity vs. passengers
  thenValue: 1,178 lifeboats for 2,224 aboard
  thenYear: 1912
  nowValue: 125% capacity required by law
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Titanic had lifeboats for only 53% of people on board; modern regulations mandate excess capacity
- metric: Ship communication range
  thenValue: 400 miles via wireless
  thenYear: 1912
  nowValue: Global via satellite
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Titanic's distress signal reached nearby ships; today's vessels transmit continuously worldwide
- metric: Ice warning systems
  thenValue: Visual lookouts, no radar
  thenYear: 1912
  nowValue: ARPA radar, lidar, satellite imagery
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Titanic's lookouts lacked binoculars; modern ships detect icebergs miles away
consequences:
- title: U.S. Senate inquiry under Senator William Alden Smith
  year: 1912
  description: The U.S. Senate Inquiry began April 19, 1912, interrogating Captain Edward Smith's widow and 82 witnesses over 18 days, concluding that inadequate lifeboats and excessive speed were primary causes
- title: British Board of Trade Inquiry
  year: 1912
  description: Lord Mersey chaired the official British inquiry from May 2 to July 3, 1912, examining 97 witnesses and producing a 26-page report that influenced maritime safety standards
- title: Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention established
  year: 1914
  description: International maritime safety rules adopted in January 1914 mandated lifeboat capacity for all passengers and crew, 24-hour wireless watch, and ice patrol in the North Atlantic
- title: International Ice Patrol founded
  year: 1913
  description: The U.S. and Canada established the International Ice Patrol in June 1913 to monitor icebergs in the North Atlantic shipping lanes, directly responding to the disaster
- title: White Star Line's reputation and fleet restructured
  year: 1912
  description: White Star Line faced significant public backlash; the company survived but was eventually merged with Cunard in 1934 due to financial pressures partly stemming from the Titanic loss
- title: Wireless Telegraphy Act strengthened
  year: 1912
  description: The U.S. Wireless Ship Act of June 24, 1912, mandated wireless equipment on all vessels carrying more than 50 passengers on international routes, with trained operators on watch
culturalContext:
topMusic: []
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: "The Titanic disaster arrived at a cultural inflection point: it killed wealthy industrialists alongside steerage passengers, exposing class divides in survival rates (first class 62% vs. third class 25%), and its sinking became a symbol of industrial hubris-the 'unsinkable' ship as metaphor for human overconfidence. The event coincided with the height of Edwardian optimism about technology and modernity, making its catastrophe all the more resonant. By the 1990s, Cameron's film transformed it into a romantic epic that overshadowed historical accuracy in popular memory."
relatedQueries:
- RMS Titanic iceberg collision April 15 1912
- Titanic lifeboats insufficient capacity
- Captain Edward Smith Titanic
- Titanic wreck discovery 1985 Robert Ballard
- Titanic first class vs third class survival rates
- International Ice Patrol history
- SOLAS maritime safety convention 1914
- Titanic wireless operator Jack Phillips
- White Star Line history
- Titanic movie 1997 vs historical accuracy
geo:
lat: 54.7023545
lng: -3.2765753
place: United Kingdom
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
peoplesVoice:
- source: Captain Arthur Henry Rostron, RMS Carpathia
  voiceType: official
  context: The rescue ship captain described the harrowing scene upon arrival at the disaster site on April 15, 1912.
  excerpt: The sea was like glass, and we could see wreckage floating in all directions. But we were too late for most of them.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 85
  attribution: Official inquiry testimony, April–May 1912
  publishedAt: 1912-04-16
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Bruce Ismay, Managing Director, White Star Line
  voiceType: industry
  context: The shipping executive faced immediate scrutiny after surviving the wreck while hundreds perished; he testified to the US Senate on April 19, 1912.
  excerpt: The ship was the safest ever built. No one could have foreseen this calamity striking so swift and so complete.
  sentimentLabel: dismissive
  significance: 88
  attribution: US Senate Subcommittee Hearings, April 19, 1912
  publishedAt: 1912-04-19
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Philip Franklin, White Star Line Vice-President (US)
  voiceType: media
  context: Franklin issued statements to the press in New York as news of the disaster broke on April 15, 1912.
  excerpt: We place absolute confidence in the Titanic. We believe the boat is unsinkable.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 82
  attribution: Press statement to New York newspapers, April 15, 1912
  publishedAt: 1912-04-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Margaret 'Molly' Brown, Titanic survivor
  voiceType: consumer
  context: The Colorado mining widow and prominent passenger survived in lifeboat 6 and spoke to journalists upon rescue on April 18, 1912.
  excerpt: I saw hundreds of poor souls clinging to the rails and to each other as she went down. The water was so cold, so terribly cold.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 75
  attribution: Interview with press aboard RMS Carpathia, April 18, 1912
  publishedAt: 1912-04-18
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Lord Mersey (John Charles Bigham), UK Board of Trade Inquiry Chair
  voiceType: expert
  context: The senior judge presided over the British inquiry into the disaster, issuing his formal report in July 1912.
  excerpt: The speed at which the Titanic was travelling was excessive under the circumstances. She was going too fast for the conditions.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 80
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Mersey Report, July 1912
  publishedAt: 1912-07-01
  originalLanguage: en
heroImageAlt: A historical illustration depicts the RMS Titanic sinking in the North Atlantic, with the massive ship listing heavily to one side as lifeboats filled with passengers surround the vessel and survivors swim in the frigid water.
translations:
es:
lede: El RMS Titanic chocó contra un iceberg y se hundió el 15 de abril de 1912, durante su viaje inaugural a través del Atlántico, matando a más de 1.500 personas. Se creía que el barco era insumergible debido a su tamaño y modernas características de seguridad, pero llevaba demasiados pocos botes salvavidas para todos a bordo. El desastre expuso brechas fatales en la seguridad marítima e impulsó reformas internacionales que aún rigen los viajes oceánicos hoy.
summaryShort: El RMS Titanic chocó contra un iceberg en el Atlántico Norte el 15 de abril de 1912 y se hundió en menos de tres horas, matando a más de 1.500 de las 2.224 personas a bordo.
summaryLong: |-
  El 10 de abril de 1912, el RMS Titanic partió de Southampton en su viaje inaugural a Nueva York, llevando 2.224 pasajeros y tripulación. Se consideraba que el barco era insumergible-con 882 pies de largo y 46.000 toneladas, era el mayor buque a flote en ese momento, equipado con las últimas características de seguridad incluyendo un doble fondo, compartimentos estancos y aparato de telegrafía inalámbrica operado por los miembros de la tripulación Jack Phillips y Harold Bride.

  A las 11:40 p.m. el 14 de abril, los vigías Frederick Fleet y Reginald Lee divisaron un iceberg aproximadamente 500 yardas adelante. El Primer Oficial William Murdoch ordenó invertir los motores y girar el timón a estribor, pero el impulso del barco-viajando a aproximadamente 22,5 nudos-hizo imposible la evasión. El iceberg rasgó el costado de estribor, brecando el casco en seis compartimentos. El Capitán Edward Smith fue informado dentro de minutos de que el barco se hundiría.

  Los operadores inalámbricos comenzaron a transmitir señales de auxilio a las 12:05 a.m. El barco más cercano, el Californian, tenía a su operador inalámbrico durmiendo; el Carpathia, a 58 millas de distancia, escuchó la llamada y giró hacia el barco que se hundía. El Titanic tenía solo 20 botes salvavidas a bordo-suficiente para aproximadamente 1.178 personas, o el 53 por ciento de los a bordo. Los oficiales aplicaron el protocolo "mujeres y niños primero" inconsistentemente en diferentes lanzamientos de botes, y muchos botes salvavidas partieron parcialmente llenos.

  El barco se partió en dos a las 2:20 a.m. y se hundió en el Atlántico helado. De las 2.224 personas a bordo, 1.517 murieron-aproximadamente el 68 por ciento. El Carpathia llegó a las 3:30 a.m. y rescató 710 supervivientes de los botes salvavidas. El desastre desencadenó investigaciones inmediatas: la investigación del Senado de los EE.UU., dirigida por el Senador William Alden Smith, comenzó el 19 de abril de 1912, y la investigación de la Junta de Comercio Británica siguió en mayo, ambas concluyendo que la capacidad insuficiente de botes salvavidas y la velocidad excesiva en aguas llenas de hielo fueron causas primarias.

  El naufragio del Titanic permaneció sin descubrirse durante 73 años hasta que Robert Ballard lo localizó el 1 de septiembre de 1985, a una profundidad de 12.500 pies. El hundimiento cambió fundamentalmente los reglamentos de seguridad marítima, incluyendo requisitos para botes salvavidas suficientes, vigilancia de radio las 24 horas, y patrullas de hielo en el Atlántico Norte.
generatedAt: "2026-05-27T16:54:08.397Z"
fr:
lede: Le RMS Titanic a heurté un iceberg et a coulé le 15 avril 1912, lors de son voyage inaugural à travers l'Atlantique, tuant plus de 1 500 personnes. Le navire était considéré comme insubmersible en raison de sa taille et de ses équipements de sécurité modernes, mais il transportait bien trop peu de canots de sauvetage pour tous les passagers à bord. Le désastre a exposé des lacunes fatales dans la sécurité maritime et a déclenché des réformes internationales qui régissent toujours les voyages en mer aujourd'hui.
summaryShort: Le RMS Titanic a heurté un iceberg dans l'Atlantique Nord le 15 avril 1912 et a coulé en moins de trois heures, tuant plus de 1 500 des 2 224 personnes à bord.
summaryLong: |-
  Le 10 avril 1912, le RMS Titanic a quitté Southampton pour son voyage inaugural vers New York, transportant 2 224 passagers et membres d'équipage. Le navire était considéré comme insubmersible-avec 882 pieds de long et 46 000 tonnes, c'était le plus grand navire afloat à l'époque, équipé des dernières mesures de sécurité, notamment un double fond, des compartiments étanches et un appareil télégraphique sans fil exploité par les membres d'équipage Jack Phillips et Harold Bride.

  À 23 h 40 le 14 avril, les vigies Frederick Fleet et Reginald Lee ont aperçu un iceberg à environ 500 verges d'avance. Le premier officier William Murdoch a ordonné l'inversion des moteurs et le gouvernail dur à tribord, mais l'élan du navire-voyageant à environ 22,5 nœuds-a rendu l'évitement impossible. L'iceberg a raclé le côté tribord, ouvrant la coque sur six compartiments. Le capitaine Edward Smith a été informé en quelques minutes que le navire coulerait.

  Les opérateurs sans fil ont commencé à diffuser des signaux de détresse à 0 h 05. Le navire le plus proche, le Californian, avait son opérateur sans fil endormi ; le Carpathia, à 58 milles de distance, a entendu l'appel et s'est dirigé vers le navire en train de couler. Le Titanic n'avait que 20 canots de sauvetage à bord-suffisant pour environ 1 178 personnes, soit 53 pour cent de ceux à bord. Les officiers ont appliqué le protocole « femmes et enfants d'abord » de manière inégale lors des différents lancements de canots, et de nombreux canots de sauvetage ont quitté partiellement pleins.

  Le navire s'est brisé en deux à 2 h 20 et a coulé dans l'Atlantique glacial. Des 2 224 personnes à bord, 1 517 sont mortes-environ 68 pour cent. Le Carpathia est arrivé à 3 h 30 et a secouru 710 survivants des canots de sauvetage. Le désastre a déclenché des enquêtes immédiates : l'enquête du Sénat américain, dirigée par le sénateur William Alden Smith, a commencé le 19 avril 1912, et l'enquête du Board of Trade britannique a suivi en mai, concluant toutes deux que la capacité insuffisante des canots de sauvetage et la vitesse excessive dans des eaux remplies de glaçons étaient les causes principales.

  Le naufrage du Titanic est resté découvert pendant 73 ans jusqu'à ce que Robert Ballard le localise le 1er septembre 1985, à une profondeur de 12 500 pieds. Le naufrage a fondamentalement changé les règlements de sécurité maritime, y compris les exigences pour des canots de sauvetage suffisants, une surveillance radio 24 heures sur 24 et les patrouilles de glace dans l'Atlantique Nord.
generatedAt: "2026-05-27T16:54:15.626Z"
de:
lede: Die RMS Titanic prallte am 15. April 1912 während ihrer Jungfernfahrt über den Atlantik gegen einen Eisberg und sank, wobei über 1.500 Menschen ums Leben kamen. Das Schiff galt wegen seiner Größe und modernen Sicherheitsmerkmale als unsinkbar, führte aber viel zu wenige Rettungsboote für alle an Bord mit sich. Die Katastrophe legte tödliche Mängel der Maritimen Sicherheit offen und führte zu internationalen Reformen, die noch heute die Seeschifffahrt regeln.
summaryShort: Die RMS Titanic prallte am 15. April 1912 im Nordatlantik gegen einen Eisberg und sank in weniger als drei Stunden, wobei mehr als 1.500 der 2.224 Menschen an Bord starben.
summaryLong: |-
  Am 10. April 1912 verließ die RMS Titanic Southampton zu ihrer Jungfernfahrt nach New York City mit 2.224 Passagieren und Besatzungsmitgliedern an Bord. Das Schiff galt als unsinkbar – mit einer Länge von 882 Fuß und 46.000 Tonnen war es das größte damals schwimmende Schiff und war mit den neuesten Sicherheitsmerkmalen ausgestattet, darunter ein Doppelboden, wasserdichte Abteile und ein Funkapparat, bedient von Besatzungsmitgliedern Jack Phillips und Harold Bride.

  Um 23:40 Uhr am 14. April entdeckten die Ausgucke Frederick Fleet und Reginald Lee einen Eisberg etwa 500 Meter voraus. Erster Offizier William Murdoch befahl, die Motoren zu stoppen und das Ruder hart nach Steuerbord zu legen, aber das Schiff mit seiner Fahrt von etwa 22,5 Knoten konnte nicht ausweichen. Der Eisberg kratzte längs der Steuerbordseite und beschädigte den Rumpf über sechs Abteile hinweg. Kapitän Edward Smith wurde wenige Minuten später informiert, dass das Schiff sinken würde.

  Die Funkoperatoren begannen um 0:05 Uhr Notrufe auszustrahlen. Das nächstgelegene Schiff, die Californian, hatte ihren Funkoperator schlafend; die Carpathia, 58 Meilen entfernt, hörte den Notruf und steuerte auf das sinkende Schiff zu. Die Titanic hatte nur 20 Rettungsboote an Bord – genug für ungefähr 1.178 Menschen oder 53 Prozent derjenigen an Bord. Offiziere setzten das Protokoll "Frauen und Kinder zuerst" bei verschiedenen Bootsabfahrten inkonsistent durch, und viele Rettungsboote fuhren nur teilweise gefüllt ab.

  Das Schiff brach um 2:20 Uhr auseinander und sank in den gefrorenen Atlantik. Von den 2.224 Menschen an Bord starben 1.517 – ungefähr 68 Prozent. Die Carpathia traf um 3:30 Uhr ein und rettete 710 Überlebende aus den Rettungsbooten. Die Katastrophe löste sofortige Ermittlungen aus: Die Untersuchung des U.S. Senats unter der Leitung von Senator William Alden Smith begann am 19. April 1912, und die Untersuchung des British Board of Trade folgte im Mai, beide kamen zu dem Ergebnis, dass unzureichende Rettungsbootkapazität und übermäßige Geschwindigkeit in eisgefüllten Gewässern die Hauptursachen waren.

  Das Wrack der Titanic blieb 73 Jahre lang undiscovereriert, bis Robert Ballard es am 1. September 1985 in einer Tiefe von 12.500 Fuß lokalisierte. Das Sinken veränderte die Regelungen der Maritimen Sicherheit grundlegend, einschließlich Anforderungen für ausreichende Rettungsboote, 24-Stunden-Funkwache und Eispatrouillen im Nordatlantik.
generatedAt: "2026-05-29T11:54:33.994Z"
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: the-new-york-times
  headline: TITANIC SINKS FOUR HOURS AFTER HITTING ICEBERG; 866 RESCUED BY CARPATHIA, PROBABLY 1250 PERISH
  publishedAt: 1912-04-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: The White Star liner Titanic, largest ship afloat and one of the most costly ever built, went down off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland early this morning, carrying down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean what is probably the greatest loss of life ever incident to the wreck of a single vessel of the sea.
  significance: 95
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: The Times of London
  publisherSlug: the-times-of-london
  headline: "THE LOSS OF THE TITANIC: A GREAT DISASTER AT SEA"
  publishedAt: 1912-04-16
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: The White Star liner Titanic, which left Southampton on April 10, sank on Monday morning after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The vessel went down with a terrible loss of life, the exact number of victims still uncertain.
  significance: 92
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: The Daily Mail
  publisherSlug: the-daily-mail
  headline: TITANIC GOES DOWN WITH 1500 SOULS; WORST SEA DISASTER IN HISTORY
  publishedAt: 1912-04-16
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The unsinkable Titanic proved tragically otherwise when she struck an iceberg in the darkness and sank in just over two hours, claiming the lives of over fifteen hundred passengers and crew.
  significance: 93
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Le Gaulois
  publisherSlug: le-gaulois
  headline: "LE TITANIC SOMBRE: UNE CATASTROPHE SANS PRÉCÉDENT"
  publishedAt: 1912-04-16
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Le grand paquebot Titanic a disparu dans les eaux glacées de l'Atlantique Nord, emportant avec lui plus de mille cinq cents âmes dans l'une des plus terribles catastrophes maritimes jamais enregistrées.
  significance: 91
  type: newspaper
  region: France
