The RMS Titanic, a marvel of early 20th-century engineering and the largest ship afloat at the time, embarked on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City on April 10, 1912. Commanded by Captain Edward Smith, the Titanic carried over 2,200 passengers and crew, many of whom were prominent figures of the era. The vessel was designed with luxury in mind, featuring grand dining halls, swimming pools, and some of the most advanced safety features available at the time. However, the Titanic was not equipped with enough lifeboats to accommodate everyone on board, as the prevailing belief was that such a large ship was virtually unsinkable.

On the night of April 14, in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, the Titanic struck an iceberg around 11:40 PM. The collision was characterized by a series of loud sounds, and the ship began taking on water rapidly, sealing its fate. Captain Smith ordered the evacuation procedures, but panic and confusion ensued as it became clear that the ship was indeed sinking. The lifeboats were deployed, but many were launched before being fully filled, as the crew struggled to manage the increasingly dire situation. By 2:20 AM, the Titanic had sunk completely, and the chaos of the night left only a fraction of those on board alive to tell the tale.

The rescue ship Carpathia arrived shortly after and saved over 700 survivors from the freezing waters. This disaster prompted widespread changes in maritime safety regulations, including lifeboat requirements for all passenger ships, training for crew, and improved iceberg monitoring systems. The loss of the Titanic remains a cautionary tale of human hubris in the face of nature's forces.