Why Didn’t The Titanic Have Enough Lifeboats?
It was a disaster waiting to happen…
Imagine this…
You’re on a massive ship bound for New York City. And, as you wave goodbye to friends and family on the shore, you can’t help but feel impressed by the size of your vessel.
The Titanic was hailed as the world’s largest passenger steamship. It was also described as “unsinkable” by many public figures & the media.
But midway through your voyage, the unthinkable happens. The Titanic collides with an iceberg, and you’re ordered to evacuate. But there’s one small problem: there aren’t enough lifeboats for everyone.
Here’s why:
Outdated Safety Laws Were The Prime Suspect
The Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 mandated that ships weighing more than 10,000 tons need to carry (at least) 16 lifeboats.
The Titanic weighed 45,000 tons. But the legal requirement to have sixteen lifeboats remained the same. Despite all of that, the Titanic sailed to New York City with 20 lifeboats. However, there still weren’t enough to accommodate every…
