Britannic

The HMHS Britannic , called in the beginning RMS Gigantic then RMS Britannic , is the third ship of class Olympic of the White Star Line, twin ship or Sister-ship of the Titanic and the Olympic , built shortly after and launched the February 26th 1914. It was requisitioned by the British navy during the First World War as a medical ship. It ran up against a Mine marinades in Aegean Sea the November 21st 1916 and sank in less than 55 minutes.

History

The steamer accepted several successive names. Joseph Bruce Ismay, the managing director of the White Star Line, first of all named the third steamer of the series Olympic RMS Gigantic . Following the shipwreck of its ship sister (the Titanic), Gigantic was renamed RMS Britannic . The super steamer, which was finished in 1914, date of the declaration of the war in Germany by England, saw then its noun modified again to become HMHS Britannic ( Her Majesty Hospital Ship ). As its name indicates it, it was requisitioned by the British Admiralty to transport wounded soldiers. November 21st 1916 it ran up against a mine between the island of Kéa and the small island of Makronissos and ran in less than one hour. Seulement 33 people perished, crushed by the propellers. Its wreck rests by 120 m basic.

Characteristics of the ship

the Britannic has a length more important than its two twin ships (275m instead of 269m); it has in addition of a double hull and sixteen tight compartments rising to the bridge B (and not to the bridge E).
the promenade deck (bridge A) is covered with Babord and Tribord, just like the Titanic (what is not the case of the Olympic ).
the davits of the lifeboats are very different from the two other ships. Indeed, the boats do not rest on the bridge of the Boats but are suspended using impressive davits, which deteriorate the esthetics of the ship.

Forwardings

The wreck was discovered in 1975 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and was localized with the coordinates 37°42' 05 NR and 24°17' 02 E by 120 m basic.

1976, Jacques-Yves Cousteau: First penetration of plungers inside the wreck. Remains exploration with the plunging saucer SP-350, including/understanding on its board the British Sheila Mitchell surviving of the shipwreck. Withdrawal of certain elements of the wreck. Production of documentary for the televised series " Odissée de Cousteau".
1995, Kostas Thoctarides: 20 minutes of diving in solo. One of the first to use the technique of diving in open circuit.
1995, Robert Ballard: Use of a ROV and a nuclear submarine of the US navy. No the penetration inside the wreck. Production of documentary televised.
1997, Kevin Gur: Cartography of certain remains in the surroundings. Penetrations inside the wreck.
1998, Nick Hope: Penetrations inside the wreck. Production of documentary televised.
1999, Jarrod Jablonski: Approximately 96 divings. Penetrations inside the wreck.
2001, Kostas Thoctarides: Filmed starting from the Greek submarine " Thétis" during a test of diving in the channel of Kéa. The film was then presented in a television program produced by the Greek journalist Giorgos Avgeropoulos who was aboard submarine.
2003, Carl Spencer: First penetration in the N°6 boiler room, discovered mines close to the wreck. Production of two documentary televised.
2006: A major penetration in N°6 boiler room, a thorough examination of the hull. Production of documentary televised for the chain history, animated by John Adhesive tape and Richie Kohler.
2008: Next forwarding (French) planned in October 2008 September?

Sources

a breve description (in)
Site perso on Titanic

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