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Royal Mail Ship (RMS) Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after it collided with an iceberg during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City (Departure date: April 10, 1912). On the night of April 14, 1912, at around 11:40 p.m., the Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. The iceberg punctured the ship’s hull, causing it to flood. The ship had around 2,224 passengers and crew members onboard, but unfortunately, over 1,500 of them lost their lives, making it one of the most lethal maritime disasters during peacetime in recent history. Visualization below created by Reddit user Mezilgad shows the depth of the sinking of the Titanic compared to Manhattan.
The crew of the Titanic received several warnings about ice in the area ahead, but they were not taken seriously enough. This contributed to the ship’s collision with the iceberg.
The Titanic was equipped with lifeboats, but they were only enough to accommodate about half of the ship’s total capacity. As a result, many passengers and crew members were left without lifeboats.
The wireless radio operators on board the Titanic, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, played a crucial role in sending out distress signals and calling for help. Their efforts helped to save some lives by alerting nearby ships.
The Titanic took approximately two hours and forty minutes to sink completely. It disappeared beneath the waves at around 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912. The ship was split in two and is gradually disintegrating at a depth of 12,415 feet (3,784 m). Below is a visual timeline of the Titanic’s sinking.
The wreckage of the Titanic was discovered in 1985 on the ocean floor about 400 nautical miles (740 km) from the coast of Newfoundland by a joint American-French expedition led by Dr. Robert Ballard. The team used a combination of deep-sea sonar, remote-controlled cameras, and submersibles to locate and document the remains of the ship.
In 1991, a team led by Ballard returned to the Titanic using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) called “Jason Jr.” They conducted more detailed surveys and recovered artifacts from the debris field surrounding the wreck.
A privately funded expedition, called “Expedition Titanic,” took place in 1996. The team used submersibles to explore the interior of the ship and capture high-resolution images. They also recovered several artifacts, including a large piece of the ship’s hull.
In the year 2000, a joint French-American expedition known as “Titanic 2000” took place. The team used advanced imaging technology to create detailed maps of the wreck site. They also recovered more artifacts, such as personal belongings and parts of the ship’s structure.
Multiple expeditions have focused on using advanced imaging techniques to capture detailed images of the Titanic wreckage. These include missions such as the 2010 expedition led by RMS Titanic, Inc., which used high-resolution cameras and 3D imaging technology to document the site.
On June 18, 2023, a group of five tourists aboard the submersible “Titan” made an unsuccessful endeavor to reach the depth where the Titanic had sunk. Rear Adm. John Mauger of the US Coast Guard reported that a submarine carrying five individuals experienced a “catastrophic implosion,” resulting in the death of all on board.
