Monday, Nov. 21, 2011
THEN
Nov. 21, 1916, four years after the Titanic sinks, her sister ship the Britannic also goes under. The Britannic, a 50,000-ton ocean liner, working as a hospital vessel for the British government during World War I, sinks in the Aegean Sea after a mysterious explosion. Bigger than the Titanic, and technically improved including more lifeboats, the Britannic is considered an “unsinkable” ship. The vessel sinks less than an hour after an explosion occurs. Thirty people die but around 1,100 people are rescued. Luckily the ship is on its way to pick up wounded soldiers otherwise the death toll would be higher.
NOW
Today, the Britannic remains at the bottom of the Aegean Sea. Although the Britannic was larger than Titanic, its sinking tragedy is relatively less known. Despite underwater investigations lead by well-known ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, the cause of the explosion remains undetermined, however, some experts believe the Britannic struck a mine. There is currently no official museum exclusively dedicated to the Britannic. However, in Ludlow, England, examples of the luxurious interior of the Britannic are on display as part of the “Titanic Honor and Glory Exhibition” until Dec. 10.
