Steering Blunder Led to the Sinking of the Titanic

Louise Patten, granddaughter of Charles Lightoller, the only senior officer to survive the sinking, told the Montreal Gazette, the Titanic hit the iceberg because of a steering mistake.

It was always thought that the Titanic hit the iceberg because it was moving too quickly that fateful night but according to Patten, a junior crew member was ordered to turn the wheel left but accidentally turned it right.

Patten’s grandfather also said that Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, owner of the Titanic, ordered them to continue sailing despite poor visibility.

The error was corrected just minutes later, but it was too late and the ship was bound for collision with the iceberg that would rip through its hull and take the lives of 1,517.

Patten said that her grandfather kept the error a secret to protect the jobs of people employed by White Star Line. While sitting on a rescue boat, Bruce Ismay allegedly told Lightoller that if he told the truth the line would be negligent and it would go bankrupt.

Patten’s family has kept this secret for almost 100 years, Patten learned of it in the 60’s when she was a teenager. Patten who writes thrillers, has recently released her latest novel Good as Gold in which she mentions the Titanic blunder.