The worst shipwrecks in the world. The sinking of the Titanic: chronicle of the disaster, versions

Analyze examples of correct and incorrect behavior of passengers in this emergency situation.

Disasters that occur on the high seas are also among the most tragic. In this case, as during air disasters, you cannot count on quick help. That is why, unfortunately, there are very few shipwreck survivors. boat trip, especially on the seas and oceans, a person must make sure that there are enough boats on the ship to save all passengers, that he has a special vest in his cabin, which in the event of a tragedy will not allow him to drown. It is better to use the services of well-known shipping companies that have proven themselves for a long time. If someone, in order to get somewhere, turns to unknown companies with a dubious reputation and equally dubious equipment on ships, he has nothing to expect complete safety during such a trip. After all, no one, even the most reliable and large shipping company, can give one hundred percent guarantees. The thing is that there is always the possibility that some unexpected trouble will happen at sea. If the shipwreck occurred near the coast or there is some ship in the immediate vicinity, then the passengers have the greatest number of chances to escape. Sometimes the ship is so large that even the crew does not immediately detect a malfunction that can lead to tragedy. Therefore, everyone on board the ship must first of all be vigilant. A person who smells smoke in his cabin or notices something else that can lead to major troubles should, while maintaining composure, tell the team members about it and take all possible part in its elimination. difficult situation again, the most terrible enemy of people is ordinary panic. She is the one who is hardest not to give in to. Chaotic movements and throwing around the ship confuses the crew and people trying to do everything possible to save the ship. Moreover, panic can quickly spread to other people. Even in a less serious situation, if an alarmist appears among generally calm people, literally in a minute half will feel anxious, not to mention such a critical situation as a shipwreck. If a person realized that the matter was taking a serious turn and it was already about saving human lives, he needs to put on a life jacket, calmly leave the cabin and follow the advice of the crew, who will probably already begin evacuating passengers. You should not rush forward, pushing everyone in your path. In any case, women and children will be placed on the boats first. You should also not take with you huge bags filled with all kinds of things. You still won’t be able to save them, because the places are reserved exclusively for people, so the team will not allow them to be occupied with bags. Even if someone did not get a place in the boat, there is no need to despair. You should courageously and without hysteria accept this fact and try to save yourself on your own. If a person gives up and humbly waits for his fate, he will die one of the first. Many cases have been recorded when, even in hopeless situations, people nevertheless survived. You can, for example, quickly build something like a raft from any non-sinking materials or, in extreme cases, use ordinary doors for these purposes. It is very important to tune in to salvation from the very beginning. After all, if someone believes in his victory over the raging elements, he has more chances cope with the wave and survive. And lastly: when going to cruise, it would be useful to learn how to at least tolerably float on the water. Because if a person fails to get into a boat or make a raft, but he swims well, he still has hope that he can wait for help or be picked up by the people in the boat.

Answer

10 April 1912 from Southampton port on its first and last swim The Titanic liner set off, and 4 days later it collided with an iceberg. We know about the tragedy that claimed the lives of almost 1,496 people largely thanks to the film, but let's get acquainted with real stories passengers of the Titanic.

The real cream of society gathered on the passenger deck of the Titanic: millionaires, actors and writers. Not everyone could afford to buy a class I ticket - the price was $60,000 at current prices.

3rd class passengers bought tickets for only $35 ($650 these days), so they were not allowed to go above the third deck. On the fateful night, the division into classes turned out to be more tangible than ever...

Bruce Ismay was one of the first people to jump into a lifeboat. CEO company" White Star Line", which owned the Titanic. The boat, designed for 40 people, set sail from the side with only twelve.

After the disaster, Ismay was accused of boarding a lifeboat, avoiding women and children, and of instructing the captain of the Titanic to increase speed, which led to the tragedy. The court acquitted him.

William Ernest Carter boarded the Titanic at Southampton with his wife, Lucy, and their two children, Lucy and William, and two dogs.

On the night of the disaster, he was at a party in the ship's restaurant. first class and after the collision, together with his comrades, he went on deck, where the boats were already being prepared. First, William put his daughter in boat number 4, but when it was his son's turn, they were in trouble.

Right in front of them, 13-year-old John Rison boarded the boat, after which the boarding officer ordered that teenage boys not be taken on board. Lucy Carter resourcefully threw her hat on her 11-year-old son and sat down with him.

When the boarding process was completed and the boat began to descend into the water, Carter himself quickly got into it, along with another passenger. It turned out to be the already mentioned Bruce Ismay.

Roberta Mahoney, 21, worked as a servant to the countess and sailed on the Titanic with her mistress in first class.

On board, she met a brave young steward from the ship's crew, and soon the young people fell in love with each other. When the Titanic began to sink, the steward rushed to Roberta's cabin, brought her to the boat deck and put her in the boat, giving her his life jacket.

He himself died, like many other crew members, and Robert was picked up by the Carpathia ship, on which she sailed to New York. Only there, in her coat pocket, did she find a badge with a star, which at the moment of parting the steward put in her pocket as a souvenir of himself.

Emily Richards was sailing with her two young sons, mother, brother and sister to her husband. At the time of the disaster, the woman was sleeping in the cabin with her children. They were awakened by the screams of their mother, who ran into the cabin after the collision.

The Richards were miraculously able to climb into the descending lifeboat No. 4 through the window. When the Titanic completely sank, the passengers of her boat managed to pull seven more people out of the icy water, two of whom, unfortunately, soon died of frostbite.

The famous American businessman Isidor Strauss and his wife Ida traveled in first class. The Strauss had been married for 40 years and had never been separated.

When the ship's officer invited the family to board the boat, Isidore refused, deciding to give way to women and children, but Ida also followed him

Instead of themselves, the Strauss put their maid in the boat. Isidore's body was identified by a wedding ring; Ida's body was not found.

The Titanic featured two orchestras: a quintet led by 33-year-old British violinist Wallace Hartley and an additional trio of musicians hired to give Café Parisien a continental flair.

Typically, two members of the Titanic orchestra worked in different parts of the liner and in different time, but on the night of the ship’s death, all of them united into one orchestra.

One of rescued passengers"Titanic" would later write: "Many heroic deeds were performed that night, but none of them could compare with the feat of these few musicians, who played hour after hour, although the ship sank deeper and deeper, and the sea approached the place where they stood. The music they performed entitled them to be included in the list of heroes of eternal glory."

Hartley's body was found two weeks after the sinking of the Titanic and sent to England. A violin was tied to his chest - a gift from the bride. There were no survivors among the other orchestra members...

Four-year-old Michel and two-year-old Edmond traveled with their father, who died in the sinking, and were considered "orphans of the Titanic" until their mother was found in France.

Michel died in 2001, the last male survivor of the Titanic.

Winnie Coates was heading to New York with her two children. On the night of the disaster, she woke up from a strange noise, but decided to wait for orders from the crew members. Her patience ran out, she rushed for a long time along the endless corridors of the ship, getting lost.

She was suddenly directed by a crew member towards the lifeboats. She ran into a broken closed gate, but it was at that moment that another officer appeared, who saved Winnie and her children by giving them his life jacket.

As a result, Vinny ended up on the deck, where she was boarding boat No. 2, which, literally by miracle, she managed to board..

Seven-year-old Eve Hart escaped the sinking Titanic with her mother, but her father died during the crash.

Helen Walker believes that she was conceived on the Titanic before it hit an iceberg. “This means a lot to me,” she admitted in an interview.

Her parents were 39-year-old Samuel Morley, the owner of a jewelry store in England, and 19-year-old Kate Phillips, one of his workers, who fled to America from the man's first wife, eager to start new life.

Kate got into the lifeboat, Samuel jumped into the water after her, but did not know how to swim and drowned. “Mom spent 8 hours in the lifeboat,” said Helen. “She was in only a nightgown, but one of the sailors gave her his jumper.”

Violet Constance Jessop. Until the last moment, the stewardess did not want to be hired on the Titanic, but her friends convinced her because they believed that it would be a “wonderful experience.”

Before this, on October 20, 1910, Violet became a flight attendant transatlantic liner"Olympic", which a year later collided with a cruiser due to unsuccessful maneuvering, but the girl managed to escape.

And Violet escaped from the Titanic on a lifeboat. During the First World War, the girl went to work as a nurse, and in 1916 she got on board the Britannic, which... also sank! Two boats with a crew were pulled under the propeller of a sinking ship. 21 people died.

Among them could have been Violet, who was sailing in one of the broken boats, but again luck was on her side: she managed to jump out of the boat and survived.

Fireman Arthur John Priest also survived a shipwreck not only on the Titanic, but also on the Olympic and Britannic (by the way, all three ships were the brainchild of the same company). Priest has 5 shipwrecks to his name.

April 21, 1912" New York Times "published the story of Edward and Ethel Bean, who sailed on the Titanic in the second class. After the crash, Edward helped his wife get into the boat. But when the boat had already sailed, he saw that it was half empty and jumped into the water. Ethel dragged her husband into the boat.

Among the passengers of the Titanic was the famous tennis player Carl Behr and his lover Helen Newsom. After the disaster, the athlete ran to the cabin and brought the women to the boat deck.

The lovers were ready to say goodbye forever when the head of the White Star Line, Bruce Ismay, personally offered Beer a place on the boat. A year later, Carl and Helen got married and later became the parents of three children.

Edward John Smith - captain of the Titanic, who was very popular among both crew members and passengers. At 2.13 a.m., just 10 minutes before the ship's final dive, Smith returned to the captain's bridge, where he decided to meet his death.

Second Mate Charles Herbert Lightoller was one of the last to jump from the ship, miraculously avoiding being sucked into the ventilation shaft. He swam to collapsible boat B, which was floating upside down: the Titanic's pipe, which came off and fell into the sea next to him, drove the boat further from the sinking ship and allowed it to remain afloat.

American businessman Benjamin Guggenheim helped women and children immerse themselves during the crash. lifeboats. When asked to save himself, he replied: “We are dressed in our best clothes and are ready to die like gentlemen.”

Benjamin died at the age of 46, his body was never found.

Thomas Andrews - first class passenger, Irish businessman and shipbuilder, was the designer of the Titanic...

During the evacuation, Thomas helped passengers board lifeboats. Last time he was seen in the first class smoking room near the fireplace, where he was looking at a painting of Port Plymouth. His body was never found after the crash.

John Jacob and Madeleine Astor, a millionaire science fiction writer, and his young wife traveled first class. Madeleine escaped on lifeboat No. 4. John Jacob's body was recovered from the depths of the ocean 22 days after his death.

Colonel Archibald Gracie IV is an American writer and amateur historian who survived the sinking of the Titanic. Returning to New York, Gracie immediately began writing a book about his voyage.

It was she who became a real encyclopedia for historians and researchers of the disaster, thanks to the information contained in it. a large number names of stowaways and 1st class passengers remaining on the Titanic. Gracie's health was severely compromised by hypothermia and injuries, and he died at the end of 1912.

Margaret (Molly) Brown is an American socialite, philanthropist and activist. Survived. When panic arose on the Titanic, Molly put people into lifeboats, but she herself refused to get in.

"If the worst happens, I'll swim out," she said, until eventually someone pushed her into the number 6 lifeboat that made her famous.

After Molly organized the Titanic Survivors Fund.

Millvina Dean was the last surviving passenger of the Titanic: she died on May 31, 2009, aged 97, in a nursing home in Ashurst, Hampshire, on the 98th anniversary of the liner's launch. .

Her ashes were scattered on October 24, 2009 at the port of Southampton, where the Titanic launched her first and last flight. At the time of the death of the liner she was two and a half months old

“…let’s give an example that may be useful in explaining how our ideas about the American elite have changed.

Among the many deviations of the Titanic film from the true story, one is especially important. In the movies, when the ship is sinking, first class passengers try to get into the limited number of lifeboats (on the ship it was approximately 2200 passengers - Approx. I.L. Vikentyev). Only the determination of seasoned sailors, who, with weapons in hand, drive away the plutocrats clinging to the sides of the boats, allows women and children to get there.

According to the stories of survivors of that disaster, in fact, representatives upper classes the rule of “women and children first” was observed almost without exception.

Statistics irrefutably prove this. In the first class, all the children and almost all of the 144 women were saved (with the exception of five of them, three of whom chose to die with their husbands themselves), and 70 percent of the men died. In the second class, which was also traveled by well-off members of various professions, 80 percent of the women were rescued, while 90 percent of the men were drowned.

On the Titanic, the men on the first-class passenger list actually made up the then Forbes 400 list. It is said that John Jacob Astor - by all accounts, the richest man in America at that time - made his way to the boat, but refused to take a place in it, but only put his wife there, waving her goodbye. Benjamin Guggenheim also refused a seat on the boat, giving up his seat to one of the women. He only asked her to deliver a message to his home: “Tell my wife that I played by the rules to the end. No woman will be left aboard this ship because Ben Guggenheim was a coward."

In other words, some of the world's most powerful people adhered firmly to an unwritten code of honor - even though it meant certain death.

Filmmakers had a good reason to distort history: no one would believe it today. We freed the upper classes from any sense of responsibility, and they gladly agreed to meet us halfway. In the modern view they are the same ordinary people, as we are. We behave as if the society is so democratic and dynamic that it does not actually have a governing elite. However, it is there.

Rich and powerful people will always exist. We can only require them to recognize that their privileges come with responsibilities. Social conventions, professional associations, moral judgments, preparatory schools, the gentleman's code - all this was an attempt to civilize the mighty of the world this. In the past, American society expected these people to behave with dignity and somehow participate in the public life of the country.

Not far from East Potomac Park in Washington, DC, there is a memorable monument - a statue of a man with outstretched arms, like Christ, hands and the inscription on the pedestal: "To the brave men of the Titanic who gave their lives so that women and children could be saved." The monument was erected with voluntary donations 25 thousand women all over America."

Farid Zakaria, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy in the US and Beyond, M., Ladomir, p. 262-263.

The world is familiar with many shipwrecks that shocked with their scale and horror of what happened. A lot of terrible shipwrecks that caused significant human casualties are also known in Russian history.

Top most terrible shipwrecks of the 20th century

Some water disasters have occurred far out to sea, and some have occurred offshore due to reef collisions. The consequences can be frightening. Next, consider some of the most terrible shipwrecks in the history of mankind.

Steamship "Sultana" (SS Sultana)

The ship transported soldiers released from captivity. 1,653 people became victims of the disaster, 741 people were saved. This shipwreck is the largest disaster of the 19th century in terms of the number of victims.

Ferry Donja Paz

Colliding with the tanker, the ferry literally broke in half. A fire broke out and passengers died in the fire. The number of victims of this terrible shipwreck is 4375 people.

Liner "Wilhelm Gustloff"

During the Second World War, the liner served as a hospital, and later became a barracks for submarine sailors. In early 1945, the ship was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine. According to official data, 5,348 people died in that shipwreck. Historians call a different number of victims - at least 9 thousand people.

The wreck of the Titanic

The shipwreck killed 1,513 people. Only 711 passengers were saved. The Titanic disappeared under water in 160 minutes. This terrible disaster was reflected in cinema: in 1997, director James Cameron shot a film of the same name. The main roles in the film were played by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Cruise ship Costa Concordia

6 people found guilty in the crash of the Costa Concordia

The main culprit was the captain of the liner, Francesco Schettino, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison. After this incident, the rules for maritime navigation and pre-trip instructions for passengers were tightened.

The most terrible shipwrecks in Russian history

"Armenia" sank in the fall of 1941 near Crimea in just four minutes. The ship carried evacuated residents and wounded Red Army soldiers. Five thousand people died, and only 8 passengers were able to survive.

One of the most major disasters On the water in the USSR, the Admiral Nakhimov crashed. It went from Novorossiysk to Sochi, carrying 1243 people. Due to the fact that the ship rammed a grain carrier, a hole was formed in it, and it sank in 7 minutes. This shipwreck occurred at the end of August 1986, and 423 people died.

The name “Novorossiysk” in the USSR was given to a ship that previously belonged to the Italian Navy. At the end of October 1955, an explosion occurred in the bow of the ship, which caused a hole of 150 square meters to form. meters. The Novorossiysk sank with 604 people on board.

In September 1994, the ferry Estonia, leaving the port of Tallinn, was caught in a storm, lost its bow, causing it to fall on its side and drown. Rescue operation complicated by a natural disaster that left 852 people missing and killed.

Our contemporaries know about the tragedy that occurred with the nuclear submarine Kursk. The crash occurred in August 2000 due to explosions on board. The crew consisted of 118 people, there were no survivors.

In July 2011, another terrible shipwreck occurred in Russian history - the sinking of the motor ship "Bulgaria", which was cruising along the Volga. With a capacity of 140 people, there were 208 passengers on board. About 120 people were killed, many of them children. The Goya disaster is recognized as the worst shipwreck ever.

The collapse of the Goya is called the bloodiest disaster. It happened during the Second World War. The ship was used as an evacuation ship. At night, a Soviet submarine caught up with the Goya and attacked the ship. After 10 minutes, the Goya ship, along with all its passengers, sank under water. On land, major incidents involving human casualties occurred no less frequently. We invite you to learn more about the worst disasters in history.
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For thousands of years, ships have sunk in war, natural Disasters and in some cases even due to human error. The ten largest and most famous shipwrecks that have ever occurred have been revealed.

The Titanic sailed from Southampton to New York, where it hit an iceberg and sank after 2 hours and 40 minutes. Its body, divided into two parts, rests on seabed, at a depth of more than 3700 meters.

Sultana

Almost forgotten, but one of the deadliest disasters. During the crash of this ship, more than 1,800 people died. It was the greatest maritime disaster in all American history. The explosion of four boilers turned the ship into a huge fireball, consuming everyone and everything. The explosion killed 80% of everyone on board. The disaster took a back seat in the press due to the fact that President Lincoln was assassinated just the day before. . The ship was designed for only 85 passengers, but there were approximately 2,400 people on board. Its wreckage lies near Memphis, Tennessee.

L.R. Doty

This ship was launched in 1894 in Michigan, in western Bay City. It was caught in a terrible storm, which caused its sinking, killing all 17 crew members on board. The wreck was found 111 years after the sinking of the ship. It is located at a depth of 92 meters in Lake Michigan; the cargo of corn is still intact. This place is considered one of the most dangerous dive sites because of the muddy water.

Oriskany

This ship, nicknamed the Mighty O, was one of 24 huge ships Essex class, ordered by the US Navy. The ship has seen many battles in many places, ranging from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to the Vietnam War. . The ship was converted into an artificial reef in 2004 and has become a very successful home for millions of fish. Today it is considered one of best places for diving in the world.

Jula

The sinking of this ship is considered the second worst maritime disaster unrelated to the war. The disaster claimed at least 1,863 lives. The ship was designed to carry 500 passengers, but at the time of the accident it was carrying more than 2,000 passengers. The ship capsized after being caught in a storm. It sank in just five minutes. Rescue teams arrived only the morning after the incident; a huge number of victims died in the water awaiting rescue. The ship is still considered missing.

Vida Galli

This ship has a very interesting story. It was primarily used for the slave trade, but then in late February 1717, a pirate named "Black Sam" Bellamy seized the ship and claimed it as his own. During the year he owned the ship, he used the Vida Galli to capture and plunder more than 50 ships. The ship hit strong storm, causing its main mast to collapse and capsize, dragging all the pirates under the water. The ship was discovered more than 250 years after it disappeared along with its loot. It was at a depth of only 5 meters. It was the first real pirate ship ever discovered.

Rona

This is quite possibly the most beautiful shipwreck in the world. British packet boat wrecked off the coast of Salt Island, British Virgin Islands, October 26, 1867. The ship went straight into a hurricane, which damaged it and caused the death of 123 people. Now this is a place for diving, and, I must say, absolutely stunning in beauty. Wildlife has taken the ship into its possession, and now it is covered with corals, eels live in it, different types fish and even sharks.

Costa Concordia

The most last crash cruise ship. Although the ship only partially sank, the disaster cost the lives of 34 passengers. The crash was widely reported in the press. Captain Schettino tried to make a spectacular maneuver into the port. To do this, he turned off the ship's navigation system, which reported how close the ship was to the rock shoal. The ship hit a large rock and water began to fill the ship, causing it to capsize. The "Costa Concordia" is still located in the area of ​​Giglia Island, Tuscany, and has become a popular tourist attraction; Plans are now being developed to lift and tow it.

Mont Blanc

The Mont Blanc became known as the ship that caused the Halifax explosion. The ship was heading to France from New York and was carrying a huge amount of ammunition and explosives. The ship was not too old, but was very slow due to the weight of the cargo it was carrying. It came to Halifax Nova Scotia to meet a convoy heading to France. While entering the port, the ship crashed into another ship, the Imo. The collision caused a fire and the explosives on board ignited. The force of the explosion was 2.9 kilotons, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history. More than 2,000 people were killed and 9,000 wounded.

Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes is very popular among divers because wildlife and landscapes that emerged from the shipwreck. The ship lies in a large harbor and can be seen at water level. The ship was damaged near Cove Island in August 1885. Luckily, he was brought back to port by the small tug Jessie. The schooner was seriously damaged and could not be repaired, so it sank in the port itself. Fortunately, a huge load of coal was lifted from the side of the sunken ship.