The sinking of the Titanic - Explained in 5 Minutes.

The sinking of the Titanic is one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. The luxurious British passenger liner was making its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City when it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 14, 1912. More than 1,500 people, including passengers and crew, died in the disaster, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. BACKGROUND The Titanic was built by the White Star Line, a British shipping company, and was intended to be one of the most luxurious and technologically advanced ships of its time. The ship was designed to be unsinkable, with a double bottom and 15 watertight compartments that could be sealed off in case of a breach. The Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, from Southampton, England, with stops in Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland, before heading across the Atlantic to New York City. The ship was carrying more than 2,200 passengers and crew, including some of the wealthiest and most prominent people of the time. The first-class passengers included businessmen, politicians, and celebrities, while the third-class passengers were primarily immigrants seeking a new life in America. THE DISASTER On the night of April 14, 1912, the Titanic was sailing through the North Atlantic when it struck an iceberg at around 11:40 PM. The iceberg tore a gash in the ship's hull and caused serious damage to several of the watertight compartments. At first, the crew and passengers did not fully realize the severity of the situation. Many believed that the Titanic was unsinkable and that the damage could be repaired. However, as the water began to flood into the lower compartments, it became clear that the ship was in grave danger. The crew worked frantically to try to contain the damage and pump out the water, but it was too late. The Titanic began to list to one side as the water continued to flood in, and soon the ship was sinking. The crew began to load the lifeboats, but there were not enough for all the passengers and crew. Women and children were given priority, and many of the lifeboats were not filled to capacity.