Deadliest Waters

The documentary series "Ocean Wreck Investigation" examines the reasons why ships sink. What secrets can one still find out from the undersea wrecks - and what dangers do they sometimes harbor? Be it forgotten events, spectacular accidents or armed conflicts - there are different backgrounds for the tragedies that have happened on board the ships.

The sinking of RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912 is one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. Mainstream retellings of the tragedy often overlook that the “unsinkable” Titanic was not alone when it sank. A mystery ship was spotted within view of the sinking ship, but instead of sailing closer to aid the drowning passengers, the mystery ship seemingly ignored a fusillade of rockets and signals and sailed away. American and British inquiries accused the SS Californian and its captain, Stanley Lord, of abandoning the Titanic. Decades later, the discovery of Titanic’s wreck exonerated Lord and the Californian’s role in the disaster, re-opening accounts that implicate another ship.