Ice begins to melt when its surroundings rise above its freezing point, that being 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). Depending on the salt content and the presence of other substances, that freezing point may be an even lower temperature.
Another highly probable cause of death was injury. Because some of the bodies retrieved from the water by the recovery ships had been too badly damaged to preserve through embalming and consequently had to be buried at sea, itâs very likely that some passengers died as a result of catastrophic injuries.
Bleak image: Mass funeral for victims. Bodies stacked high in bags, a mass funeral is held for dozens of Titanic victims before they are buried at sea. The haunting photo was taken days after the ship hit an iceberg on April 15, 1912, but has just been made public. It is now set to fetch Â£5,000 at auction. In the rare snap, two men can be seen dropping a victim over the side of body recovery ship the Mackay Bennett. The boatâs Rev Hind leads the service as the solemn crew look on.