Exactly 100 years ago, in April 1912, the “unsinkable” ship Titanic entered maritime history due to the horrific and most serious maritime disaster in peacetime, resulting in the loss of 1,514 lives.
>>> First Map of the Titanic Wreck Area Released
Over the past century, scientists have always believed that the Titanic sank after colliding with a massive iceberg while on its voyage from Southampton (UK) to New York (USA).
However, that was only one of ten contributing factors leading to this tragedy. Below are the nine remaining causes:
1. Climate
Weather conditions in the North Atlantic are particularly favorable for the appearance of icebergs at the intersection of the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream. Due to the warmer water in the Gulf Stream, Dr. Richard Norris from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (USA) explained, “As a result, a significant amount of ice (including small icebergs, ice floes, and sea ice) accumulated at the location of the collision.”
2. Tidal Surges Moving Icebergs South
Last month, astronomers at Texas State University in San Marcos discovered a special connection between the Sun, Moon, and Earth that caused unusually high tides in January 1912. They hypothesized that ice masses formed before the day of the disaster sank in the Labrador Sea, and when strong tides swept in, large icebergs would surface in the following months, coinciding with the Titanic’s passage.
3. The Ship Was Traveling Too Fast
Many experts believe that the Titanic was actually traveling at maximum speed despite the presence of icebergs. This was the greatest mistake of the legendary Captain Edward J. Smith.
4. Iceberg Warnings Were Ignored
Prior to the disaster, the Titanic received numerous warnings about the presence of icebergs in the North Atlantic through its radio system. However, the final and most critical warning from the ship Ameraka was not relayed by radio operator Jack Phillips to Captain Smith, as Phillips deemed it “non-urgent.”
5. Binoculars Were Locked Away
The fact that the binoculars on board for long-distance observation were locked away is also considered one of the factors leading to the Titanic tragedy. David Blair, who was initially appointed as the second officer for the Titanic’s transatlantic voyage, was transferred to another ship at the last minute and forgot to return the key to the binoculars’ storage.
Some historians argue that if this oversight had not occurred, the iceberg might have been spotted earlier, potentially altering the fate of over 1,500 passengers.
6. Wrong Turn
Why did the crew steer the Titanic towards the iceberg? This is the question Louise Patten (granddaughter of a fortunate officer who survived the Titanic disaster in 1912) posed after hearing her grandfather’s account of the event. When the iceberg was sighted, the helmsman, in a state of panic, misunderstood orders and turned right instead of maneuvering left around the iceberg to avoid a collision. Despite attempts to correct the course, it was too late, Patten noted.
She also speculated that if the Titanic’s owner had not pressured the captain to maintain speed, the ship might not have taken on water as quickly, and it would have at least remained afloat until rescue arrived.
7. Engine Design Reduced Maneuverability
Just before the collision, Officer William McMaster Murdoch ordered the engines to be reversed to avoid the iceberg. However, the middle propeller could only stop spinning and could not reverse. Furthermore, the middle propeller was positioned ahead of the ship’s rudder, further diminishing its steering effectiveness.
8. Weak Iron Rivets
Metallurgists Tim Foecke and Jennifer Hooper McCarty have pointed out that the materials used in the construction of the Titanic at the Belfast shipyard were substandard. The rivets securing the ship’s hull were not properly tempered, making them brittle and prone to breaking upon impact, leading to the ship sinking more quickly.
9. Insufficient Lifeboats
Perhaps the most blameworthy cause of this tragedy was the insufficient number of lifeboats for over 2,200 passengers and crew aboard the Titanic. The total number of lifeboats on board could only accommodate about 1,200 people. However, part of the reason was that the laws at that time only required a minimum of 16 lifeboats for approximately 1,060 people on ships over 10,000 tons.
Another contributing factor to the high death toll was the hesitance of passengers. As a result, some lifeboats were launched with very few people aboard.
