The Titanic’s sister ship also earned a chilling reputation as a ghost ship
Few people are aware that the Titanic was not a one-of-a-kind vessel – the luxury liner had two sister ships, one of which lies beneath the sea at a surprisingly shallow depth. In truth, there were “three Titanics”.
There were “three Titanics”
Since the release of the grand and immensely popular 1997 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, it has become common knowledge that the White Star Line’s enormous luxury ocean liner, the Titanic, sank on its maiden transatlantic voyage. Owing to an inadequate number of lifeboats, chaos, and poor organisation, the disaster claimed 1,502 lives. The wreck, resting some 4,000 metres below the surface of the North Atlantic, has been the subject of numerous expeditions and countless visits. However, it will not remain intact forever and is expected to collapse and disappear within the next 100 years.
The White Star Line did not construct only the Titanic, designed by Thomas Andrews – it also built two sister ships, the Olympic and the Britannic. Rumour has it that the Britannic was originally to be named the Gigantic, but the name was altered after the sinking of the Titanic.
Military service
Following the disaster, modifications were made to both ships. The Britannic, still under construction at the time, was designed with enhanced safety features: its steel plates were secured with double rows of rivets, it carried more lifeboats, and even featured motorised ones.
Both vessels were initially intended to serve as luxury liners equipped with every comfort. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, the British Admiralty repurposed them for military service. The Olympic transported soldiers and civilians across the Atlantic, and even achieved a military victory when it rammed and sank a German submarine that attacked it. Its career ended in a shipbreaker’s yard, although many of its fittings were salvaged and reused in other vessels.
The Britannic’s tragedy
The third sibling, the youngest – the Britannic – met a different fate. Converted into a hospital ship, she served in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea after the Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of Germany and following the Allied landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
The ship struck a mine near the island of Kea and sank within 55 minutes, despite boasting more advanced safety features than the Titanic, such as watertight compartments. In at least one respect, the Britannic fared better: of the soldiers and medical staff aboard, 1,038 survived, with only 30 lives lost, most due to two lifeboats being lowered at the wrong time.
- Wreck of Titanic to be protected under UK-U.S. agreement
Interestingly, although the ship was 269.1 metres long, it came to rest at a depth of only 119 metres – its bow touched the seabed before the rest of the vessel had fully submerged. Here is an animation of the sinking:
Anyone can visit the wreck
While lifting the wreck is not feasible, exploring it is very much allowed. In 2022, the Greek government granted permission for anyone to visit. Photography and videography are permitted, but removing anything from the wreck is strictly prohibited.
Although raising the wreck is not feasible, exploring it is permitted. In 2022, the Greek government granted permission for anyone to dive to the site. Photography and videography are allowed, but removing objects from the wreck is strictly forbidden.
The first archaeological artefacts were only recovered this May, as part of a larger project. Among the most significant finds were “the ship’s bell, port-side navigation light, silver-plated trays, and several personal items,” according to infostart.hu.
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