Titanic's Disaster Timeline

Enlarge Image

The luxury liner Titanic departs Southampton, England, prior to her maiden Atlantic voyage en route to New York City. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES)

Related Items

1. Articles

   • Mystery of the Knox Church bells chimes on
   • Rival reporters share story of the century
   • Titanic -- The Manitoba connection

Enlarge Image

Edward Smith, captain of Titanic, in 1911. (HANDOUT / POSTMEDIA)

Enlarge Image

The Titanic's second-class deck, with row of lifeboats that would soon be pressed into service. (HANDOUT PHOTO)

April 14

9 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Thomson Beattie and Thomas McCaffry socialize in the Titanic's Louis Quinze smoking room.

11:40 p.m. The Titanic collides with an iceberg.

11:40 - 11:45 p.m. After feeling the collision, Capt. Edward John Smith rushes to the bridge from his nearby cabin.

11:45 - 12 a.m. Smith learns the Titanic will remain afloat no longer than two hours. He instructs the two wireless operators to prepare to send out distress messages.

April 15

12:05 - 12:15 a.m. Smith gives orders to uncover the lifeboats, assemble passengers on deck, then load women and children first. Smith then instructs the wireless operators to send out distress messages.

12:15 - 12:20 a.m. Beattie goes to Hugo Ross's room to warn him the Titanic is sinking and help dress his sick friend.

12:20 - 2:05 a.m. Smith oversees Second Officer Charles Lightoller loading and lowering lifeboats with women and children only on the port (left) side. Meanwhile, First Officer William Murdoch loads lifeboats on the starboard (right) side with women and children first, then men. The first lifeboat is lowered at 12:25 a.m.

1 a.m. Albert and Vera Dick enter lifeboat Number 3 on the starboard side.

1:20 a.m. The four Fortune women enter lifeboat Number 10 on the port side.

2:05 a.m. The last lifeboat is lowered.

2:15 a.m. Smith returns to the bridge and tells the wireless operators to abandon their posts.

2:20 a.m. The Titanic goes down. Smith's final moments are unknown, but witnesses report he was on the bridge as the ship sank beneath the waves.

4:30 - 8:30 a.m. Carpathia rescues Titanic passengers and crew from lifeboats.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 14, 2012 J4