Carpathia
, British passenger liner that was best known for rescuing survivors from the
ship
Titanic
in 1912. The
Carpathia
was in service from 1903 to 1918, when it was sunk by a German
U-boat
.
The
Carpathia
was built by Swan and Hunter for the Cunard Line. Construction of the
vessel
began on September 10, 1901, with the laying of the keel. Following completion of the hull and main superstructure, the ship was launched on August 6, 1902. When finished the next year, the ship measured 558 feet (170 metres) in length and had a gross tonnage of more than 13,500. It could carry approximately 1,700 passengers. On May 5, 1903, the
Carpathia
embarked on its maiden voyage, sailing from
Liverpool
,
England
, to
New York City
. Although not as opulent as other passenger liners?it initially had no first-class accommodations?the ship became popular with both tourists and emigrants. During the summer season the
Carpathia
operated mainly between Liverpool and New York City, and in the winter it traveled from New York City to
Trieste
, Italy, and
Fiume
,
Austria-Hungary
(now Rijeka, Croatia). In 1905 the
Carpathia
underwent major renovations, increasing its
capacity
to 2,550 passengers and creating accommodations for first-class travelers. Several years later its service was largely limited to voyages between
New York
and Mediterranean cities.
Britannica Quiz
The Titanic
On April 11, 1912, the
Carpathia
departed from New York City for Fiume, carrying some 740 passengers. On April 15 at approximately 12:20
am
, the ship received a distress call from the
Titanic
, which had struck an iceberg and was sinking. Capt.
Arthur Henry Rostron
ordered the
Carpathia
to the
Titanic
’s position, which was about 58 miles (107 km) away, and began preparing the ship for any survivors. Despite the presence of icebergs, the ship traveled at top speed (some 17 knots), arriving at approximately 3:30
am
. The
Titanic
had sunk more than an hour earlier, but the
Carpathia
rescued 705 people in lifeboats. The ship returned to New York City on April 18. The actions of Rostron and the
Carpathia
’s crew were
credited
with preventing further loss of life, and Rostron was awarded a U.S. Congressional Gold Medal.
During
World War I
the
Carpathia
transported Allied troops and supplies. On July 17, 1918, it was part of a convoy traveling from Liverpool to
Boston
. Off the southern coast of
Ireland
, the ship was struck by three torpedoes from a German U-boat and sank. Five people were killed; the rest of the passengers and crew were rescued by the HMS
Snowdrop
.
In 1999 the wreck of the
Carpathia
was discovered intact and lying upright at a depth of more than 500 feet (152 metres).