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Why did the Titanic sink?

On its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York, the British luxury liner, Titanic, sideswiped an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 1912, and was badly damaged. The 882-foot- (269-meter-) long-liner, whose 8 decks rose to the height of an 11-story building, sank 2 hours and 40 minutes later.

The sinking of the Titanic is considered the greatest disaster in transatlantic shipping history. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew, 705 escaped in 20 lifeboats and rafts and 1,522 drowned. The ancient ship Carpathia was the only vessel that responded to distress signals and saved the 705 people on lifeboats.

For a number of reasons, it seems the sinking of the Titanic, as well as the huge loss of life, could have been avoided. For instance, although Captain E. J. Smith was warned of icebergs in shipping lanes, he maintained his speed of 22 knots (one...

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