Hey, everybody, whats up!! I have a question about whether the Titanic split into two or more sections. The movie portrays it splitting into two places, but a friend of mine told me that recent news says that it split into three.

-- Jim Islam (najmi@udel.edu), February 23, 1998

Answers

I believe the two piece theory judging from the wreck site. Also, I think that she did split where the after expansion joint was but I will have to check that out.

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), February 23, 1998.

I just checked an old model that I had built of the T and there were two expansion joints: one slightly aft of the #1 funnel and one slightly aft of the #3 funnel. So, I believe she probably cracked at or near the one aft of the #3. By the way, that model I have is in about as good shape as the Titanic is now! Time to do a new one!

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), February 24, 1998.

The Titanic broke apart between the third and fourth funnels. The bow and stern sank to the bottom as two large pieces. However, there is a section of hull and superstructure in the vicinity of the break which fell as many small pieces, most of it near the stern section. In Ballard's "Discovery of the Titanic," page 167, you can see a diagram of the ship markings to indicate where the break occurred.

Cheers!

-- Kip Henry (kip-henry@ouhsc.edu), February 25, 1998.

From "Titanic: Legacy of the World's Greatest Ocean Liner" by Discover Channel and Time Life Books, it broke into 3 pieces.

A quote: "After the Titanic broke apart, the stern rotated on the surface, then remained nearly vertical for at least a minute, while the bow and the small 'third piece' sank toward the bottom of the sea."

While it is considerably smaller than the bow and the stern, throughout the book it is referred to as the "missing third piece".

-- Becky Gordon (becky.gordon@pfs.sprint.com), February 25, 1998.

Becky is correct. The third piece has actually been located and it's postion is a known fact. The only unanswered questions are exactly how this would have looked from the surface. It really depends on the order of breakage. I maintain for myself that the fist break occured right after the fall of the first funnel...and underwater...the second split which we have all come to know and love from the movie happened later.

-- jastor (rooks@innernet.net), March 09, 1998.

I suppose the ship did not broke into 2. IF it did how can we still find th ship

-- yeo lye poh (lpyeo5@hotmail.com), June 20, 2003.