April 15, 1912 was the date of one of the most tragic and notable accidents in human history. THAT shipwreck of RMS Titanic in the North Atlantic left several victims in the icy depths of the water. But how many people died that day?
About 1,500 people died on the morning of the accident when the huge ship sank. Overall, many wealthy passengers died in the sinking, but thirdclass passengers were hardest hit. So let’s dive into these numbers and learn more about this story.
Like Mortes Titanic do
(Font: Shutterstock)
The RMS Titanic struck the iceberg in the North Atlantic at 11:40 p.m. en route to New York. It took 2 hours and 40 minutes for the ship to completely sink into the icy waters. More than twothirds of the 2,240 people on board died in the accident.
According to the official tally of the US committee investigating the sinking of the Titanic, the total number of deaths was 1,517 people. Of these, 832 were passengers and 685 crew members. Studies show that 76% of the crew died during the sinking, including all 35 engineers who died while the ship’s lights were left on and radios on.
Titanic Captain Edward Smith also went down with the ship after allegedly thanking his subordinates for their work and relieving them of their duties. The rest of the dead would have died while waiting for help in the freezing cold of the sea.
deaths by class
Ever since the Titanic was launched, it has always been illprepared for accidents. Said to be “unsinkable,” the ship only had 20 lifeboats on hand—although it could safely carry up to 64.
Tickets to travel on the Titanic cost about £30 ($4,000 today) in first class, £12 ($1,600 today) for second class and £3 to £8 (about £1,600, $415 to $1,100) for the third grade. According to the figures, 62% of the first class passengers survived.
However, the numbers only get worse for those who haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy the same extravagances of most risks. In comparison, 43% of secondclass passengers and only 25% of thirdclass passengers survived the crash. The biggest explanation for this fatality rate is that passengers with cheaper tickets had to walk further to get to the boats.
In addition, immigration laws required many of them to remain below decks. Overall, women and children across all classes were more likely to survive, with 70% making it out of the rubble unscathed. Of the men, however, only 19% made it out alive.