Did People in Lifeboats Help Survivors of the Titanic?

When discussing the Titanic's sinking and the survival of its passengers, the role of lifeboats often comes to mind. However, the involvement of those in the lifeboats in aiding survivors of the Titanic varies widely. Depending on how strictly one defines their efforts, the number of instances ranges from two to twenty.

Lifeboat Operations and Survival

Most of the lifeboats on the Titanic enabled the survival of those aboard them. However, only five of the twenty lifeboats carried survivors from the water after the ship sank. These lifeboats returned to the vicinity of the disaster to rescue people from the sea.

Lifeboat 4

About an hour and a half after the Titanic sank, Lifeboat 4, commanded by Fifth Officer Charles Lightoller, returned to the disaster site. It rescued eight crewmen from the water. Though the journey was difficult, two of these survivors, William Lyons and Sidney Siebert, passed away in the boat.

Lifeboat 14

Another example is Lifeboat 14, which was commanded by Fifth Officer Harold Lowe. After transferring its passengers to other boats, it returned to rescue four people from the water. Unfortunately, one of these survivors, William Hoyt, passed away shortly after the rescue.

Frederick Hoyt's Survival

A more notable case is that of Frederick Hoyt, First Class Passenger William Hoyt's husband. Seeing his wife leave in Collapsible D, Frederick Hoyt used mental math to figure out the angle he needed to swim to intercept the lifeboat. He successfully reached the lifeboat, but his wife was unaware of his survival until they were rescued by the Carpathia.

Collapsible Lifeboats A and B

Two of the collapsible lifeboats, A and B, had unique situations. Collapsible B capsized when it was pushed off the roof of the officer's quarters, creating an air pocket where no more than 30 men found refuge on its overturned hull until they were rescued by Lifeboats 4 and 12.

Collapsible A floated off the ship upright, though its canvas sides had not been fully erected, causing it to be half-swamped. Those on board, numbering thirteen, were rescued by Lifeboat 14 after exposure to the cold waters, and the unfortunate deaths of some.

Obstacles and Controversies

However, not all lifeboats were as efficient in assisting survivors. For instance, the second officer of the Titanic, Charles Hlightower, was involved in an incident where he helped a couple, but the outcomes varied. Meanwhile, some of the lifeboats, like the survivors of the Bosenmates of the Titanic, refused to turn around for another rescue attempt. One individual, Brown, an American with great wealth, ordered the bosun of the lifeboat she was on to do the same, showing varying degrees of compassion and practicality in the face of the disaster.

Conclusion

The efforts of those in the lifeboats to help survivors of the Titanic varied. While some lifeboats made significant contributions, others were focused on saving their own passengers first. This variation highlights the complexity and human aspect of the tragedy, where individual decisions and actions played a crucial role in the outcome.