The British liner struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage on April 14, 1912.
In this April 10, 1912, file photo, the liner Titanic leaves Southampton, England on her maiden voyage.“Futility,” an 1898 novella, detailed the sinking of the ficitious liner Titan after it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
The first movie about the disaster, “Saved From the Titanic,” arrived in theaters a month after the sinking.
Although the White Star Liner carried 2,200 passengers, the lifeboat capacity was less than 1,200. Still, it was more than required by British regulations.
The Titanic had two sister ships, Britannic and Olympic. The former struck a mine and sank during World War I, while the latter remained in service until 1935.
Initial news reports indicated disaster had been avoided. “The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers” said White Star Line vice president Phillip Franklin.