The Titanic sank exactly 100 years ago today. The Titanic sinking is of course synonymous with cruise ship disasters; indeed, the Titanic wreck is synonymous with disasters in general. It is one of the great tragedies of history, with the allegedly unsinkable Titanic sinking in less than three hours, claiming the lives of over 1,500 passengers and crew members, nearly three-quarters of the people on board. That the Titanic sank must never be forgotten, nor must we cease to learn from the many lessons this wreck has taught us. The Titanic wreck is enraging because it was unnecessary and unfair because of the disproportionate of number of Second-Class male passengers who perished, but most of all it is deeply heartbreaking. And so a century after the Titanic sank, it is only fitting that we recount what happened on the night that so dramatically altered the course of maritime history.
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