Have you ever imagined what it would have felt like to step aboard the RMS Titanic as it set off on its historic maiden voyage? More than a century after the disaster, the famous ocean liner continues to capture the public’s imagination through books, documentaries, museums, and blockbuster films. Among the many questions people still ask about the ship, one of the most common is surprisingly straightforward: In what year did the Titanic sink?

The answer is 1912. The Titanic departed from Southampton, England, on April 10 of that year, beginning its first journey across the Atlantic to New York City. As the largest and most luxurious passenger ship of its era, it represented the latest achievements in engineering and comfort, attracting a mix of wealthy passengers, working-class families, and experienced crew members.

Late on the evening of April 14, 1912, the ship collided with an iceberg in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. The impact tore open sections of the hull, allowing seawater to pour into several compartments that were unable to contain the flooding. During the early hours of April 15, the Titanic slipped beneath the surface, claiming the lives of more than 1,500 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters ever recorded.

The loss of the Titanic brought sweeping changes to maritime safety that continue to influence sea travel today. International rules were strengthened to require enough lifeboats for every passenger and crew member, improve emergency drills, expand iceberg patrols, and enhance radio communication between ships. More than 100 years later, the Titanic remains a lasting symbol of both remarkable human innovation and the importance of respecting the limits of technology while prioritizing safety.