The British passenger liner that sank on its maiden voyage after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912 was RMS Titanic. Operated by the White Star Line, Titanic left Southampton on April 10, 1912, bound for New York City, with stops planned at Cherbourg and Queenstown.
During the night of April 14–15, the ship struck an iceberg south of Newfoundland. The collision damaged several watertight compartments, and the vessel sank in the early hours of April 15. Titanic carried more than 2,200 people, including passengers from wealthy first-class travellers to emigrants seeking new lives in North America. Around 1,500 people died.
The disaster exposed serious weaknesses in maritime safety regulations. Titanic carried lifeboats for only about half the people aboard, and the evacuation was further complicated by confusion, inadequate drills, and the belief that the ship was exceptionally safe. The sinking led to reforms including improved radio watches and stricter lifeboat requirements.
Titanic is commonly confused with Britannic, another White Star Line ship that sank in 1916, and Lusitania, which was torpedoed in 1915.