The world's largest ocean liner, the Titanic, owned by White Star Line, sank in the Atlantic in the early morning of 15 April. Of the 2,224 people aboard, 1,513 died. She was on her maiden voyage from Southhampton, England to New York, USA, when she collided with an iceberg on the starboard side, 20 minutes before midnight on the 14^th of April.

The gigantic 892-foot vessel, which had been declared unsinkable before her journey, took just under two and a half hours to slip beneath the surface. The survivors, rescued at about 4.00 a.m. by the liner Carpathia, described a scene of courage and chaos. Since the Titanic had only lifeboats for half its occupants, the ship's officers ordered women and children to be loaded first, while many passengers and crew members sacrificed themselves. But the evacuation was so disorganized that many boats were sent off before they were full. The poorest passengers packed in the steerage far below, were never informed of the incident, many dying along with aristocrats and tycoons.

The disaster, one of the worst in maritime history, prompted important safety measures to be enforced. The first International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, held in 1913, passed requirements that ships provided enough lifeboats for all passengers; hold safety drills during voyages; and keep a 24-hour radio watch for distress signals. The International Ice Patrol was established to warn ships of ice in the treacherous North Atlantic.

Related link: See Sea Transport