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There has always been much discussion about which lifeboat was launched when and what the order was. Lifeboat 7 was the first one to leave, but as late as 12:45 A.M? Plenty of sources tell us that it was 20 minutes earlier. And was boat 10 launched before or after boat 12? And did Captain Smith launch boat 1 or 2?

Titanic's list at the launchings[]

Titanic was listing to starboard at the beginning of her sinking[1][2] until 1:05 A.M, afterwards slowly that list shifted to port and she sank under a heavy port list. Between that, there was a period where Titanic had no list. This provided a first important clue on the overall launching sequence.

Starboard:

Lifeboat List of the ship during launch
1 None
3 Starboard[3]
5 Starboard[3]
7 Starboard[3][4]
9 Port
11 Port
13 Port
15 Port
A Port[5]
C Port[6]

Port:

Lifeboat List of the ship during launch
2 Port
4 Port
6 Starboard[7]
8 None
10 Port[8]
12 Port[9]
14 Port[10]
16 Slight Port
B Port
D Port[11][12]

Conclusions to be drawn from Titanic's list[]

Based on Titanic's list, we have three "sets" of lifeboats:

  • Boats 3, 5, 6 & 7 went first, when Titanic still had a starboard list.
  • Boats 8 and 1 went next, when Titanic had no list.
  • Boats 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & the Collapsibles went after these 10, when Titanic had a port list.

Full launching sequence[]

Launch times Lifeboat List of the ship during launch Launched by these officers
12:25 7 Starboard Murdoch[13][14], Lowe[15]
12:28 5 Starboard Murdoch, Pitman (left), Lowe
12:40 6 Starboard Captain Smith, Lightoller
12:43 3 Starboard Murdoch, Lowe
1:00 1 None Murdoch, Lowe
1:05 8 None Smith, Wilde, Lightoller
1:10 16 Slight Port Moody
1:15 14 Slight Port Wilde, Lightoller, Lowe (left)
1:20 12 Slight port Smith, Wilde, Lightoller
1:28 9 Slight port Murdoch, Moody
1:35 11 Port Murdoch
1:40 2 Port Smith, Wilde
1:43 13 Port Murdoch, Moody
1:45 15 Port Murdoch, Moody
1:45 10 Port Wilde
1:47 C Port Wilde, Murdoch
1:50 4 Port Lightoller
1:55 D Port Wilde, Lightoller
2:07* A None Murdoch, Moody
2:07* B None Lightoller (left)

* Floated off when bridge went under, not launched.

Sources[]

  1. US Inquiry day 5, Robert Hichens
  2. US Inquiry day 7, Frank Osman
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 British Inquiry day 10, questions 11440-11442, George Symons
  4. US Inquiry day 13, Norman Campbell Chambers
  5. British Inquiry day 9, questions 10530, Edward Brown
  6. US Inquiry day 11, Bruce Ismay
  7. British Inquiry day 3, questions 1372-1377, Robert Hichens
  8. British Inquiry day 6, questions 5987-5989, Charles John Joughin
  9. British Inquiry day 4, questions 3301-3306, John Thomas Poingdestre
  10. British Inquiry day 6, questions 5475-5476, Frank Herbert Morris
  11. US Inquiry day 7, John Hardy
  12. US Inquiry day 10, Hugh Woolner
  13. British Inquiry day 2, questions 89-90, Archie Jewell
  14. British Inquiry day 13, questions 14974, Third Officer Pitman
  15. British Inquiry day 13, questions 15808-15811, Fifth Officer Lowe

Ioannis Georgiou (December 2012 - September 2015). Die Geschichte der Rettungsboote. Titanic Post, Titanic-Verein Schweiz. 

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