Buzz
More than a century has passed since the RMS Titanic sank, claiming the lives of an estimated 1,500 individuals. The calamity not only devastated those who experienced it but also continues to echo in popular culture through films, songs, books, and even a musical that pays tribute to the brave passengers and the haunting legacy of the disaster.
While the iceberg is commonly cited as the main cause of the Titanic's sinking, many other factors played a crucial role in the catastrophe. Below are ten reasons that contributed to the tragedy's scale, beyond the obvious culprit.
10. Serene Seas
It may sound counterintuitive, but in certain situations, calm seas can be more hazardous than turbulent ones.
On the evening of April 14, 1912, passengers aboard the Titanic were treated to stunningly clear weather. One survivor recalled, “Perfect serenity for miles… the water looked like molten silver.” With calm waters and no visible waves, the usual glow from plankton surrounding icebergs was absent, making the iceberg nearly impossible to spot from a distance.
At that time, it was commonly believed that on a clear night, icebergs could be seen from one to three nautical miles (1.8 to 5.6 km) away. Despite the absence of moonlight due to overcast skies, the smooth seas created a false sense of safety. The lookouts were less vigilant, and the ship sailed faster than it would have in foggy or choppy conditions.
9. Open Portholes
While most passengers were safely sleeping in their cabins, the Titanic suddenly shook at 11:40 p.m. when it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. After the abrupt awakening, many passengers, eager to understand what had happened, went to investigate the cause of the sudden stop.
Curious passengers opened their portholes to peer outside, and many failed to close them as they rushed to the deck to escape. This oversight allowed water to flood into the ship much more quickly than it would have otherwise, accelerating the ship's rapid descent. Titanic historian Tim Maltin noted that just 12 open portholes could have doubled the damage, and with hundreds of portholes left open by passengers, the total damage was likely far worse.
8. Fragile Rivets
Modern ships are constructed with hull plates welded together using oxyacetylene torches, but in 1912, Titanic’s steel plates were fastened with rivets hammered in by hand. Research conducted by metallurgists Tim Foecke and Jennifer Hooper McCarthy revealed that the materials used to build the Titanic were of an alarmingly low quality, far worse than the standard materials used in luxury liners of the time.
While the exact cause cannot be confirmed, it's believed that either subpar rivets or a last-minute issue with the shipyard’s machinery were responsible. Foecke and McCarthy noted that the rivets used were likely to have shattered much more easily than the higher-quality ones that should have been used.
7. A Simple Mistake
Captain Edward Smith had received several warnings from other ships in the area on the morning of the Titanic’s sinking. The ship's course was adjusted to steer clear of the ice, but as the night wore on, nine more warnings were sent while the Titanic continued its westward journey.
One of these warnings, sent from the liner Mesaba (which would tragically sink four years later), never reached Captain Smith. The Mesaba’s wireless operator sent a message warning of heavy ice directly in the Titanic's path, which should have been signed with “MSG” to indicate that it required the captain’s signature.
Unfortunately, the Mesaba’s operator made a small but critical error, typing “MXG” instead of “MSG.” With multiple ice warnings coming in throughout the day, the Titanic’s radio operators were overwhelmed by hundreds of passenger telegrams from the United States. Jack Phillips, the Titanic’s wireless operator, dismissed the Mesaba’s warning and bundled it with the other messages. Had Captain Smith been notified, given the specific location of the ice, there’s a strong chance the disaster could have been prevented.
6. A Last-Minute Command
Just moments before the fatal collision, First Officer William Murdoch sent a telegraph to the engine room instructing them to reverse the ship's propellers in a desperate bid to avoid the impact. However, it was too late to fully reverse the ship; the propeller could only be stopped.
Richard Corfield, a scientist, suggests that while Murdoch was trying to save the ship, his actions may have sealed its fate. He explained, “The fact that the steering propeller was not rotating severely diminished the ship's ability to turn.” Even more unfortunately, the Titanic might have avoided the iceberg on its own had Murdoch not ordered the reduction and reversal of the propeller’s thrust.
5. No Binoculars
If only the iceberg had been spotted sooner. If only the SS Californian had come to the Titanic’s aid. If only the lookout in the crow’s nest had binoculars to help him see.
Wait, how could a ship’s lookout not have binoculars? The explanation lies with one unfortunate sailor named David Blair. Blair had locked the binoculars in a locker in the crow’s nest. At the last minute, Blair was reassigned from the Titanic to the RMS Olympic, but he forgot to leave the keys behind, leaving the new lookouts without visual assistance.
Frederick Fleet, a Titanic lookout, testified during investigations into the disaster that had he had binoculars, he would have “spotted it a bit sooner.” When asked how much sooner, he was unsure but claimed, “enough to get out of the way.” Despite this, the investigation concluded that the lack of binoculars was not a major factor in the tragedy.
4. “Shut Up”
Jack Phillips, the wireless operator aboard the Titanic during its ill-fated voyage from Belfast to New York City, holds one of the most unfortunate roles in history. As the main point of contact for the ship while at sea, many have speculated that his failure to relay several crucial warning messages from other ships to Captain Smith played a role in the disaster.
One of the most glaring examples occurred at 22:55 that night: The nearby SS Californian reported being surrounded by ice. Phillips’s response was, “Keep out; shut up, I’m working Cape Race,” referring to the location where he was receiving passenger messages. It is said that the messages from the Californian came through so loudly that Phillips couldn’t hear the Cape Race signals properly.
Phillips’s outburst had serious consequences. Beyond the obvious fact that ignoring another ship’s warning could have made the Titanic crew more alert, Phillips, in his irritation, shut off the radio. This delay in communication would add valuable time to the distress call later sent as the ship sank.
3. Ignored SOS Calls
Captain Edward Smith of the Titanic is remembered as one of the most heroic figures to ever sail the seas. His decision to remain aboard and go down with his ship, choosing honor over life, has been glorified in countless books, films, and museums. Unfortunately, Captain Stanley Lord does not share the same legacy.
Captain Lord was in charge of the SS Californian, the vessel closest to the Titanic when it met its tragic end. Some reports suggest that the Californian was close enough to have rendered assistance. When the Titanic began sending distress signals, Lord was woken up by his crew. Having worked for 17 consecutive hours, Lord dismissed the distress flares as “company rockets,” a common signal used by ships of the same fleet to identify each other.
Lord’s decision to ignore the Titanic’s flares would haunt him for the rest of his life. His failure to respond to the distress call painted him as foolish, and he was subsequently dismissed from his duties.
2. Coal Fire
Being on a ship that had experienced a fire in the past might not seem reassuring. However, in 1912, it was an unfortunate but frequent occurrence. Steamships often suffered from fires due to spontaneous coal combustion, and when a small fire started in one of the Titanic’s coal bunkers on April 13, it was not considered alarming at the time.
Although the fire seemed insignificant initially, investigations following the sinking revealed that it could have played a role in the disaster. The coal bunker was located right next to the hull, making it possible that the fire could have inflicted significant damage on the Titanic’s structure.
Although this theory was raised during the original 1912 investigation, even referencing the official inquiry conducted by British authorities, it was not further explored. Historian Senan Moloney suggests that the reason might lie in the possible conflict of interest of the presiding judge, who could have had ties to the shipping industry and may not have wanted to jeopardize Ireland’s commerce.
1. Speed
Most experts on the Titanic agree that the ship was traveling faster than it should have been when it struck the iceberg on April 14, 1912. However, they cannot reach a consensus on the reason behind this decision.
A common theory suggests that Captain Smith was trying to break the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing set by a White Star Line ship. Other rumors suggest that Captain Smith feared arriving late in New York City, and under pressure from White Star Line director Bruce Ismay, he pushed the ship to exceed its usual speed. At the time of the collision, the Titanic was traveling at 22 knots, just 2 knots short of its maximum speed.
To Captain Smith’s defense, many ships would have been traveling at similar speeds in such circumstances. Maritime practices advised navigating through risky zones at higher speeds in order to reduce exposure to dangerous conditions for the shortest time possible.
No matter the reason, it is clear that had the Titanic been moving at a slower pace, the damage inflicted would have been significantly less severe.
