It weighed 46,000 tons yet floated on water. At over 882 feet (270 meters) long and 175
feet (55.34 meters) high, the Titanic was an unforgettable sight. The company that built it wanted the largest
ship with state-of-the-art technology and every luxury imaginable. It was not disappointed. As the Titanic left England April 10, 1912
on a journey that would span the Atlantic, many watched as the looming figure of the
seemingly perfect ship vanished into the distance. None expected it to sink just four days later. Today we find out the fate of those onboard
in this episode of The Infographics Show, Where Did All the Bodies on the Titanic Disappear? The Titanic was the brainchild of the White
Star line, a shipbuilding company in direct competition with the other companies of the
time. One of these, Cunard, had built the Lusitania
and Mauretania in 1907, nautical masterpieces that crossed the Atlantic at record-breaking
speeds and thereby earned their builders wide-spread acclaim and recognition. Not to be upstaged, White Star set about to
make not one, but three, passenger ships to surpass all others in both size and luxury:
the Titanic, the Olympic, and the Britannic. To their credit, builders Harland and Wolff
succeeded in creating what were the world’s largest man-made objects that moved. However, this feat came at a cost. The quantity of materials needed for these
vessels was immense. As steel and rivet supplies dwindled, they
were forced to use inferior versions. Held together with lower-grade plates and
rivets, many believe the Titanic was doomed from the beginning. Indeed, evidence suggests that instead of
bending as high-quality steel would do, pieces of the hull shattered and rivets broke as
the vessel made impact with an iceberg off the Newfoundland coast. Less than three hours later, it was at the
bottom of the sea. Ironically, the Titanic had been dubbed “unsinkable”
due to its believed infallible design. It not only had electronic controls and a
wireless communication system, but was equipped with sealable compartments to keep it afloat. However, as the ship veered left in a failed
attempt to avoid the iceberg, nearly 300 feet of holes were knocked into its right-hand
side. Water flowed into six of the supposed water-tight
compartments and then moved on to fill the rest. Many believe this event was mostly due to
human error. A radioed warning of icy conditions, for example,
was dismissed as unimportant. The lookouts responsible for sighting obstacles
could not access their binoculars. Even the captain may have pressed on in hopes
of making record speeds. Mother nature was of no help, either; large
chunks of ice and hazy optical illusions only contributed to the crash. Further, nearby ships could not tell the Titanic
was sinking. The lack of aid in addition to a shortage
of lifeboats resulted in a profound loss of life. In the panic and chaos, the boats that were
available were also misused, leaving 400 seats empty and over 1,500 people stranded. As the front of the ship sank with the weight
of incoming water, the back rose steadily higher. Mounting pressure eventually caused it to
crack, sending the front into the depths of the ocean. The rest soon followed. By 2:20 am on April 15, 1912, what was left
of the Titanic was gone. The 710 who survived were rescued by the Carpathia,
responding to the Titanic’s signals of distress. It did not reach the area however until almost
two hours later. While the Titanic sank in darkness, the sun
was rising by this time, highlighting the remains of the less fortunate, lifelessly
suspended in the sea. The Carpathia was forced to navigate around
multiple icebergs and past floating bodies to reach those still alive. Despite its best efforts, some of those rescued
later died and were buried at sea. In all, over 1,500 passengers were lost. Compounding the tragedy further was the fact
that, of those who perished, only 340 were found. Some believe that these low numbers were in
part due to weather. There is evidence that after the Titanic sank
a huge storm swept through the area, scattering those adrift over as many as 50 miles. In this case, by the time ships came for the
bodies, recovery of many was impossible. Those who still floated beside what was left
of the Titanic’s doors, pillows, and chairs continued to be discovered throughout April
and May. Ships such as the Mackay-Bennet spent days
pulling out those strapped to lifejackets, identifying them and tagging their bodies
for return to families or for burial. Sadly, even after many were gone, some operations
were unprepared for the corpses that remained. There are reports that as vessels ran out
of space, bodies of third-class passengers were tossed overboard in favor of those from
first. In all, while a few hundred were lifted from
their watery graves, upwards of 1,000 were unaccounted for, never again to be seen. What is left of those who were scattered over
the ocean’s surface remains unknown. However, it is believed that a majority of
those missing went down with the ship. Indeed, the underwater scene of the wreck,
discovered miles below the surface of the Atlantic, holds countless indicators of death
on a massive scale. A haunting photo from the surrounding seabed
reveals boots and a jacket in positions to indicate that they once covered a body. This suggests the presence of what would have
been a corpse, though no bones can be seen. Experts explain that what was a body and then
a skeleton may have long ago turned to sediment. Additional shoes litter the ocean floor, a
ghostly reminder of tragedy long ago. Some who have ventured inside of what’s
left of the Titanic have seen clothing in there as well. A few explorers in the area claimed to have
found both a ring and a finger, but they reburied these without a trace. No other such discovery has been documented. The evidence that corpses once surrounded
the Titanic and rested within its outermost structure is strong. However, what is deep within the wreck is
up for debate. Some believe that hundreds died inside and
remain there still. If this is true, it is possible that bones
and teeth, perhaps even entire bodies lie within it. After all, in the most interior areas, closed
off from currents and without a supply of oxygen-rich water, bodies would be free of
fish or worms. In general, decomposition halts in such isolated
conditions. In fact, organic materials left in similarly
cold, pressurized environment without access to a current have been preserved for as long
as centuries. It would seem that inside the ship, and nowhere
else, that recognizable remains, should any exist, could be found. Fortunately, those at rest within the Titanic
will be left in peace. As an over-a-century-year-old wreck, the Titanic
now falls under the protection of the 2001 UNESCO Convention, making damage to or pillage
of the site illegal. But the question remains: Are there people
still trapped within the Titanic, and if so, how many? Have they been preserved, or are they now
a form of sediment, as we will all eventually be? Let us know in the comments! Also, be sure to check out our other video
called 50 facts about titanic you didnt know! Thanks for watching, and, as always, don’t
forget to like, share, and subscribe. See you next time!
