Today in History: The Sinking of the RMS Titanic

By Y.M. Lowy

On this day, 113 years ago, the Titanic sank, becoming one of history’s most famous disasters. However, there is more to the story than what most people know. Rather than just repeating the well-known facts, let’s delve deeper into the events of that fateful night.

On April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic during its maiden voyage to New York City. More than 1,500 people lost their lives, many due to the inadequate number of lifeboats available. The Titanic was renowned as the largest and most luxurious ship of its time, and it was believed to be unsinkable.

Among the survivors were two young brothers, Michel and Edmond Navratil, aged 4 and 2. Their father had taken them from their mother in France and boarded the Titanic under a false name. He did not survive the disaster, but after their photos appeared in newspapers, the boys were reunited with their mother.

Interestingly, the iceberg that struck the Titanic might be marked till today. Some survivors reported seeing a red stain at its base, likely from the Titanic’s paint. 

On the day of the disaster, the Titanic had received several warnings about ice, but some of these were overlooked because the radio operators were occupied with sending passenger messages.

One of the greatest mysteries surrounding the disaster involves the nearby SS Californian. This ship was close enough to see Titanic’s distress rockets but never responded, a decision that remains debated to this day. In contrast, the RMS Carpathia raced through icy waters to rescue about 700 survivors. Its captain, Arthur Rostron, was later honored for his bravery, and in 2024, a gold watch he received from grateful survivors was eventually sold for nearly $2 million.

In the hours following the sinking, newspapers mistakenly reported that all passengers had been rescued and that the Titanic was being towed to safety.