The Titanic - A Timeline

The Titanic sank on the 14th/15th April 1912, but what actually happened on the fateful night? There were so many important moments during the sinking of the Titanic, we have created a timeline of the key highlights to help you educate your class on what happened and when.

April 14th-1912

5:50 PM-After receiving iceberg warnings throughout the day, Captain Smith changes the Titanic's course, heading slightly south. However, the ship's speed is not lowered.

9:40 PM-The Mesaba (Another ship) sends a warning to the Titanic about an ice field that includes large icebergs. Wireless operator Jack Phillips—who works for the Marconi Company—is handling passengers' messages and never passes the warning on to the Titanic's bridge.

10:00 PM-Lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee begin their watch in the Titanic's crow's nest. The night is unusually calm, making icebergs more difficult to see. Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the crow’s nest's binoculars have been misplaced.

11:35 PM-Fleet sees an iceberg in the Titanic's path and rings the bell three times to indicate that something is ahead. He then calls the bridge. Murdoch orders the Titanic “hard-a-starboard” (to the left) and the engines reversed. He also closes the doors to the supposedly watertight compartments.

11:40 PM- The starboard side of the Titanic scrapes along the iceberg. Captain Smith arrives on deck and is told that the ship has struck an iceberg. Shortly thereafter he is informed that the mail room is filling with water. Other reports soon come in of water in at least five of the ship's compartments. Designer Andrews predicts that the ship has only about one to two hours before sinking.

April 15th 1912

12:00 AM- The lifeboats begin to be readied for launch. The 20 boats have space for only 1,178 of the more than 2,200 people on board. An order is later given for women and children to board first, with crewmen to row and guide the boats.

12:15 AM-Captain Smith orders Phillips and Harold Bride to send out a distress signal. The Frankfurt is among the first to respond, but the liner is some 170 nautical miles. The Carpathia receives a distress signal from the Titanic and immediately changes course to aid the stricken ship some 58 nautical miles (107 km) away. It will take the Carpathia more than three hours to arrive.

12:20 PM- Passengers waiting to enter lifeboats are entertained by the Titanic's musicians, who initially play in the first-class lounge before eventually moving to the ship's deck. Sources will differ on how long they perform. None of the musicians will survive the sinking.

12:45 AM- Number 7 on the starboard side is the first lifeboat lowered. Many of the first lifeboats will be launched well below capacity, partially because of the crewmen's worry that the davits would be unable to hold a fully loaded lifeboat. In addition, many passengers are initially afraid to leave the ship, believing that the Titanic is unsinkable.

1:30 AM- Several lifeboats have been launched. Phillips continues to send out distress calls with growing desperation: “Women and children in boats. Cannot last much longer.”

2 AM- The Titanic's bow has sunk low enough that the stern's propellers are now clearly visible above the water. Captain Smith releases the crew, saying that “it's every man for himself.” Smith is reportedly last seen on the bridge. His body will never be recovered.

2:18am- The lights on the Titanic go out, plunging the ship into darkness. As the Titanic's bow continues to sink, the stern rises higher out of the water, placing great strain on the midsection, and the ship breaks in two between the third and fourth funnels. The stern momentarily settles back in the water before rising again, eventually becoming vertical. It briefly remains in that position before beginning its final plunge.

2:20 AM-The stern disappears into the ocean, and the Titanic is gone. Water pressure allegedly causes the stern, which still has air inside, to implode as it sinks. Hundreds of people are in the freezing water. Although there is room in most of the lifeboats, crewmen are fearful that the boats will be swamped. Several boats eventually return, but too late. A few people are pulled to safety, but most die of exposure.

3:30 AM- The Carpathia arrives in the area, firing rockets. It will take several hours for the ship to pick up all the survivors.

8:50 AM-The Carpathia, carrying the 705 Titanic survivors, heads to New York City, where it will arrive to massive crowds on April 18.