Could a disaster like the Titanic sinking happen today?
By cher913
@cher913 (25782)
Canada
12 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
25 Mar 08
Unless there is a massive tidal wave that could push the boat over and even then most boats have strong stabilizers, remember that film Poseidon? Think about that tsunami a big one could sink a boat? other than that with all the technology on board a ship now the chances of having another disaster like the Titanic is probably the same chance of this world being hit by an asteroid. We have advanced so much that with safety standards as high as they are the fact that a ship could sink is virtually impossible.
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
31 Mar 08
I think a disaster like the Titanic could BEGIN to happen today. What I mean is, sure...a ship could always sink! A ship could very well hit something that would cause irreversible damage. But what I meant when I said that kind of disaster could begin to happen was...I don't think that today, a ship near by would ignore their call for help. I believe if there was a ship an hour away from a ship in distress, they would go for it! They wouldn't call it a hoax and ignore them.
And a big plus, today we have helicopters and speedboats. We have the coast gaurd...you're right about the technology being different. The radios are defeniatly different, easier to communicate with help when needed. A helicopter could be told your very location and probably make a huge difference in a rescue.
So, as I believe that a disaster like Titanic could happen today, I don't think it would get a chance to become that severe.
@sarai73 (1)
•
20 Nov 10
Ever heard about the Estonia, which sank in the Baltic sea on the 28 September 1994?
The ship sank in rough weather on its way from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden. 852 (out of 989 passengers and crew) lives were lost in one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters of the 20th century. Right up there, along with the Titanic. So yes, it could happen again, and technology doesn't even come into it. The Baltic sea is a lot smaller and shallower than the North Atlantic - still, helicopters were only able to save a fraction of the passengers and crew. It all depends on circumstances and context; Estonia sank due to the bow visor having separated and torn off the lower deck of the ship, which led to a rapid intake of water. The ship sank in only 50 minutes. It's the hubris of mankind that constantly gets us into the same trouble. No-one in 1912 ever believed that the Titanic could even begin to sink. Then look what happened.
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
25 Mar 08
Yes the technology and times have changed. But never say never. Things happen for a reason and yes the Titanic sinking was a very tragic thing. But there was alot of problems with that boat. For starters the capacity of the ship help no where near the amount of lifeboats that they needed. That was a sad part on them. They shouldn't of over packed that boat. Maybe everyone would still be alive. But anyway that's a whole different topic in itself. It was iceberg that ripped the side open and flooded it. It could happen again cause we will have icebergs.
1 person likes this
@danclement (138)
•
25 Mar 08
I definitely think it could happen. In 1912, the Titanic was considered to be the best piece of technology in the world and look what happened to it. A simple iceberg ripped a hole in it and it sank to the bottom of the sea.
I'm not big on boats and ships, so I couldn't say what the biggest or most acclaimed ship is these days, but I'd bet money that against a strong enough storm or a big enough iceberg, it'd sink too. There's just no accounting for Mother Nature.
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
31 Mar 08
Technology have changed, but disaster didn't. With big storm or tsunami, everything is possible. So far, we don't know how to control climate change, and we never know what can happen.
@theJfactor (9)
• India
26 Mar 08
ofcourse it may happen!!!!!!!
b'coz disaster never asks before coming!!!!!!
its not a matter of technology advancements, rather its more about the time,location,situation and related consequences which matter more.....
its more about how you use the advanced technologies in order to fight the disasters similar to titanic!!!!!!!
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
26 Mar 08
Yes this could definitely happen today. If I remember correctly, the Titanic running into that iceberg was a human error, not due to instruments. Despite all leaps that technology has taken, humans are still subject to error, so this could still happen even today.
@keep_onwatch (2680)
• India
3 Apr 08
Yeah i think times have chaged n technology has taken over, but still things like this can happen. May b there wud b just few deaths or even more reduced, but any thing can happen,we r living in an unsure world..........
