Describe the moments before and during the titanic ship sinking. When did they realise that they might hit the ice berg?
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The RMS Titanic, a British passenger liner, set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912. The ship was hailed as the epitome of luxury and opulence, but tragically, it would go down in history as one of the most infamous maritime disasters.
On the evening of April 14, 1912, the Titanic was sailing through the North Atlantic Ocean. The weather conditions were calm, and the ship was cruising at a high speed. The night was clear, with a slight haze that made it difficult to spot icebergs in the distance.
At around 11:40 p.m., Frederick Fleet, a lookout stationed in the crow’s nest, spotted an iceberg directly in the ship’s path. He immediately rang the warning bell three times and picked up the telephone to inform the bridge about the danger ahead. The message was relayed to the bridge, where First Officer William Murdoch received it. Murdoch quickly ordered the ship to be turned hard to starboard (right) and put the engines in reverse, attempting to avoid a collision.
However, the Titanic’s massive size and the limited maneuverability of the ship made it impossible to avoid the iceberg entirely. The iceberg scraped along the starboard side of the ship, causing a series of devastating punctures along its hull. As the iceberg tore into the ship, the crew realized the gravity of the situation.
Thomas Andrews, the ship’s designer, was brought to the bridge to assess the damage. He quickly realized that the Titanic was doomed and estimated that the ship had about two hours before it sank. Distress signals were sent out, and the lifeboats were prepared for evacuation.
As the situation grew more dire, the passengers were gradually made aware of the seriousness of the situation. Many were initially skeptical, as the Titanic was believed to be unsinkable. However, as the ship began to list and the crew launched the lifeboats, panic and chaos ensued.
At approximately 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, the Titanic’s bow plunged beneath the surface of the frigid Atlantic Ocean, and the stern rose into the air before also sinking. The ship broke apart as it sank, and over the course of a few hours, more than 1,500 people lost their lives in one of history’s most devastating maritime disasters.
In conclusion, the crew of the Titanic realized they might hit the iceberg shortly before the collision occurred, when the lookout spotted it and rang the warning bell. The exact moment of realization can be pinpointed to around 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912.
