RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States and claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people.
Check out some other interesting facts:
Quick Facts
- Official Title: RMS Titanic
- Sinking: 11.40 PM on the night of April 14, 1912
- Size: 882 feet 9 inches in length
- Cost: $7,500,000
- Location: Sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 375 miles south of Newfoundland
- Capacity: 3,547 passengers
- Passengers on board: 2,224
- Victims: More than 1,500
- Captain: Edward Smith
- Route: Southampton, UK, to New York City, US
The stories of survivors, the various explanations as to why it sank, the decades-long search to find the wreck, and, of course, the multi-billion-dollar film released in 1997 have all contributed to its enduring place in pop culture.
Essential Facts
- Size: The Titanic Was the Largest Ship of Its Time
- History: The Titanic Was Built in Belfast, Ireland
- Construction: Only 2 People Died during the Construction of the Titanic
- Lifeboats: The Titanic Did Not Have Nearly Enough Lifeboats for All Its Passengers
- Victims: Almost Two-Thirds of the People on Board the Titanic Died
- Survivors: Some Titanic Passengers Made it off the Shipwreck
- Luck: Cancellations Saved Many Lives That Would Have Been Lost on the Titanic
- Collision: Just 37 Seconds Passed between the Sighting of the Iceberg and the Collision
- Personnel: Both the Ship’s Captain and First Officer Went Down with the Ship
- Conspiracy: One Conspiracy Theory Claims the Titanic Tragedy Was an Insurance Scam
As technology has advanced, there are now companies that offer tourists (who are willing to pay thousands of dollars) the chance to dive 2.4 miles below the surface and see the wreck for themselves.
However, this comes with substantial risk. On June 19, the US Coast Guard based in Boston told the BBC that a submersible with five people aboard went missing two hours into their journey to the deep. As of that date, the sub had between 70 to 96 hours of oxygen left. A search for the craft is still underway.
Interesting Facts
- A 30-Second Delay Was Responsible for the Sinking of Titanic
- The Iceberg That Sank the Titanic Has Been around for about 3,000 Years
- A First-Class Ticket Would Cost around $70,000 Today
- The Musicians Played for 2 Hours and 5 Minutes as the Ship Sank
- The Wreck of the Titanic was Only Discovered in 1985
- The Titanic has Inspired Many Movies
- The Titanic’s Interior Resembled the Ritz Hotel in London
- The Titanic Wasn’t Very Environmentally Friendly
- The Sinking of the Titanic Was Predicted 14 Years before It Actually Happened
- The Titanic Was Especially Unlucky for Some of Its Passengers