Lifeboats of the RMS Titanic Lifeboats of the RMS Titanic The lifeboats of the RMS "Titanic" played a crucial role in the disaster of 14–15 April 1912. One of the ship's legacies was that she had too few lifeboats to evacuate all those on board. The 20 lifeboats that she did carry could only accommodate 1,178 people, despite the fact that there were approximately 2,208 on board. had a maximum capacity of 3,327 passengers and crew. Eighteen lifeboats were used, loading between 11:45 p.m.–2:15 a.m., though Collapsible Boat A floated off the ship's partially submerged deck, and Collapsible Boat B floated away upside down minutes
RMS Titanic the starboard side of "Titanic" struck the iceberg, creating a series of holes below the waterline. The hull was not punctured by the iceberg, but rather dented such that the hull's seams buckled and separated, allowing water to seep in. Five of the ship's watertight compartments were breached. It soon became clear that the ship was doomed, as she could not survive more than four compartments being flooded. "Titanic" began sinking bow-first, with water spilling from compartment to compartment as her angle in the water became steeper. Those aboard "Titanic" were ill-prepared for such an emergency. In accordance with accepted