However, just before midnight on April 14, the RMS Titanic started having troubles. The compartments got filled with water and it pulled down the bow of the ship. Because the Titanic‘s compartments were not capped at the top, water from the ruptured compartments filled each succeeding compartment, causing the bow to sink and the stern to be raised up. Two hours later, the Titanic broke in half. And at about 2:20 a.m. on April 15, the Titanic sank completely.
More than 1,500 people sank and died with the ship due to the shortage of lifeboats and the lack of emergency procedures. According to the History Channel, less than 800 people survived. Most of them were either women and children. A number of notable American and British citizens died in the tragedy, including the renowned British journalist William Thomas Stead and heirs to the Straus, Astor, and Guggenheim fortunes. Edward John Smith, the captain of the RMS Titanic, died as well when the ship sank on its maiden voyage. His body was never found nor half of his crew.
Katerine Chung Chen