The SS Californian — the Ship that Didn’t Help the Titanic
The tragic consequences of inaction
The sinking of the RMS Titanic has become notorious in maritime history, and still resonates in popular culture thanks in no small part to the 1997 film ‘Titanic’. It remains one of the worst peacetime sinkings in history claiming around 1,500 lives, many perishing in the frigid Atlantic waters.
Most of us know the details. Around 23:40 the Titanic smashed into the iceberg at full speed, the moonless night making the iceberg nigh impossible to see. At 00:00 the distress signal is sent out, while at 00:20 the first lifeboats are loaded with women and children, while at 00:25 the RMS Carpathia responds that she is on her way but is 58 miles or about 4 hours away. By 02:20 the Titanic has sunk below the waves and at 04:10 the Carpathia arrives, pulling 705 survivors aboard, while around 1,500 are believed to be lost at sea, though sources disagree on the numbers.
The SS Californian
The Carpathia made a heroic effort in saving who they could from the waters. Captain Arthur Rostron raced to the scene of the sinking saving those mentioned above and…
