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At 11:40, Frederick Fleet spotted the iceberg. He immediately rang the lookout bell three times, signalling an alert, and then telephoned the bridge. Sixth Officer Moody answered the phone.

Fleet: "Is there anyone there?"

Moody: "Yes, what do you see?"

Fleet: "Iceberg, right ahead!"

Moody took the time to say "Thank you" before hanging up. Simultaneously, First Officer Murdoch had spotted the berg himself, and ran into the bridge screaming "Iceberg, right ahead" before Moody could call any orders in response to the phone call. Murdoch, the officer in charge, ordered an immediate turning of the wheel "Hard a starboard"- which means turn left fully (starboard is to the right, but the turning orders were actually reversed back in that era given the progression of technology). Murdoch also ordered the engines to be stopped and set to full reverse. Within just a few seconds, the engines slammed to a halt, and began a full power exertion in the opposite direction, but the ship was still going straight ahead at a high pace due to inertia. The wheel was hard over within a few seconds, but still, thanks to inertia, the ship was plowing straight ahead.

Murdoch rushed to the bridge's wing and began to watch the ship's reaction, given that there was nothing more that can be done. The ship was still going straight at nearly full speed, but at the last second it began to turn to the left. The prow missed the berg, but an underwater ledge hit the side of the ship and ripped open the steel plating from the forepeak back to boiler room 6 and 5- rupturing 5 compartments- one more than the ship could withstand. The watertight doors were closed, but the ship was still doomed. From that point the captain came to the bridge, and orders were given to assess the damage. The news was not good, and the rest is history.

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13y ago

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