15 April 2012

100 years ago: Titanic Sinks

100 years ago today (Monday, 15 April 1912, very early morning)

At 5 minutes after midnight, the order is given to uncover the lifeboats and to muster the passengers and crew on deck.

10 minutes later, numerous ships hear Titanic's distress signals. While on board the Titanic, some its passengers listen to its band playing lively ragtimes tunes in the first class lounge.

The first lifeboat is launched at 12:45am.

At 1:15am, water reaches the Titanic's name plate on the bow.

At 1:45am, the Carpathia, now racing towards the site, hears a final message from the Titanic's wireless operators: Engine room full up to boilers.

At 2am, the water is within 10 feet of the promenade deck.

Fr. Byles hears confessions and gives absolution to over 100 second and third class passengers at the aft end of the boat deck.

At about 2:17am, Titanic's bow plunges under the surface of the sea, then a forward funnel collapses, and the great ship breaks apart. A few minutes later, the stern follows the rest of the ship into the depths.

More than 1,500 souls are lost at sea, including Fr. Byles.

At 3:30am, the rockets from the Carpathia are seen by those in the lifeboats. The first survivors are taken aboard about 40 minutes later.

At 10 minutes before 9am, the Carpathia leaves the area bound for New York. Bruce Ismay, the President of the company that own's the Titanic and also a survivor, wires the New York offices of the White Star Line: "Deeply regret advise you Titanic sank this morning after collision with iceberg, resulting in serious loss of life. Full particulars later."

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