The Titanic was a British luxury passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. Here are some important details about the Titanic:
- The Ship was constructed by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. The Titanic was the second of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line, and was the largest ship in the world at the time of its completion.
- The Titanic was considered the height of luxury. It was famously described as "unsinkable" due to its compartmentalized hull, which was supposed to contain flooding in the event of a breach.
- The Titanic's maiden voyage began on April 10, 1912. Four days later, in the late hours of April 14, the ship struck an iceberg. The iceberg scraped the ship's starboard (right) side, buckling the hull in several places and popping rivets below the waterline over a length of 299 feet (91 meters).
- Due to the design of its bulkhead compartments, the Titanic could remain afloat with four compartments flooded. However, the iceberg damage spanned six compartments. Despite efforts to save the ship, the Titanic began to sink.
- Over 2,200 passengers and crew were aboard the Titanic for its maiden voyage. When the ship sank, there were only enough lifeboats to save about half of them. This was in part due to outdated maritime safety regulations.
- The ship sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912. More than 1,500 people died, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history.
- The Titanic's sinking led to major changes in maritime law, including improved safety measures and increased lifeboat requirements.
The sinking of the Titanic remains one of the most famous shipwrecks in history. It has been depicted in numerous works of popular culture, most notably the 1997 film "Titanic" directed by James Cameron.
