Titanic sinking: Here's what to know about why the famous ship went down.
Many of us know the Titanic, whether you're familiar with it from media adaptations or history lessons.
The ship, once touted as "unsinkable," had a tragic fate after hitting an iceberg and sinking to the bottom of the northern Atlantic Ocean. More than 1,500 people died during the sinking of the Titanic. Only 706 people survived, including the "unsinkable" Molly Brown.
There may be some parts of the Titanic's history that are not so clear. In fact, did you know the Titanic did not make direct impact with the iceberg?
Here is what you need to know about the sinking of the Titanic.
When did the Titanic sink?
The Titanic sank in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. Moments before midnight, the passenger liner crossed paths with an iceberg after unsuccessfully trying to avoid it.
By around 2:20 a.m., the Titanic split in half, and the stern and bow sunk to the ocean floor.
On April 10, the ship set sail on its maiden voyage from Southhampton, England and was en route to New York City. It was in the northern Atlantic Ocean, approximately 400 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada, when the Titanic hit an iceberg.
Why did the Titanic sink?
The first four days of the Titanic's voyage were uneventful. It was not until April 14 when the ship's crew began receiving reports of ice in the ocean from other ships, according to History.com
From the crew's view, the ocean seemed relatively calm and they did not see any signs of ice. Edward Smith, the Titanic's captain, did not listen to the warnings and continued "full-steam ahead."
At around 11:30 p.m., an iceberg was spotted in close proximity by a lookout, who alerted the crew to avoid it. The engines were reversed and the ship turned, appearing to graze past the iceberg instead of making direct impact, according to History.com.
Above surface, the ship appeared fine. In reality, the Titanic had sustained great damage from below. The iceberg had a "jagged underwater spur," which created a 300-foot slash in the Titanic's hull below the waterline.
This caused ruptures in at least five of its hull compartments. The ship began to fill with water and air pockets imploded, causing the stern to break apart.
How many people died on the Titanic? Facts about the death toll and the survivors
How long did it take for the Titanic to sink?
It took two hours and 40 minutes for the Titanic to sink to the bottom of the ocean, according to History.com.
The Titanic's compartments were not capped at the top. This led the water filling each compartment to overflow into the next, causing the bow to sink and the stern to move into a near-vertical position.
The ship then snapped in half and finally sunk at approximately 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912.
Where is the Titanic wreckage? Here's where the ship is located and how deep it is.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why did the Titanic sink? An iceberg and a wrong turn. What to know.
