Wreck of the RMS Titanic research. The stern section, which had previously received relatively little attention from explorers, was specifically targeted for analysis. The microbial colonies aboard "Titanic" were also a key focus of investigation. The second expedition, from 27 May – 12 June 2004, saw the return of Robert Ballard to "Titanic" nearly 20 years after he discovered it. The expedition spent 11 days on the wreck, carrying out high-resolution mapping using video and stereoscopic still images. 2005 saw two expeditions to the "Titanic". James Cameron returned for the third and last time to film "Last Mysteries of the Titanic". Another expedition searched for
Lifeboats of the RMS Titanic factors contributed to the lifeboats departing with only half capacity. 1,503 people did not make it on to a lifeboat and were aboard "Titanic" when she sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean at 2:20 a.m. on 15 April 1912. 705 people, mostly women and children, remained in the lifeboats until later that morning when they were rescued by RMS "Carpathia". Those aboard the lifeboats were picked up by "Carpathia" over the course of 4 hours and 30 minutes, from about 4 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and 13 of the lifeboats were also taken aboard. The lifeboats were