All New Things Everyday

What could possibly sink the “unsinkable” Titanic? A massive gash, as experts believed for decades, or something far more subtle? This Encarta Yearbook article describes the evidence that may have solved one of the 20th-century’s most talked-about mysteries.

Expedition Finds Damage That Doomed the Titanic

When the luxurious British ocean liner Titanic collided with an iceberg on April 14, 1912, most experts thought the sinking of the vessel resulted from massive damage to the ship's steel hull. But a recent expedition to the wreck site showed that it was the location, rather than the extent, of the damage that caused the ship to sink, killing more than 1500 people.

In addition to examining the wreckage to find the actual damage to the hull, the expedition sought answers to several other questions. Among these were whether the ship broke apart on the surface, to what extent flaws in the steel used to build the Titanic's hull contributed to the disaster, and how long the wreck is likely to survive on the ocean floor. The expedition also attempted to raise a 28 sq m (about 300 sq ft) section of the Titanic's hull, but a storm and a broken rope sent the piece plunging back to the ocean bottom.

Sonar experts, naval architects (including one from the shipyard that built the Titanic), a microbiologist, and historians of the shipwreck were among the experts accompanying the expedition, which took place in August 1996. The expedition was organized under the aegis of the Discovery Channel, a cable television network; its French counterpart Ellipse; and RMS Titanic, Inc, the custodian of the wreck site. The results were aired on April 13, 1997, in a television documentary titled “Titanic: Anatomy of a Disaster.”

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