New clues In Lusitania's sinking
- On 24/11/2008
- In Famous Wrecks
- 0 comments
By Anne Goodwin Sides
When the Lusitania went down, it left a mystery behind: What was the cause of the second blast ? After nearly a century of investigation, argument and intrigue, clues are starting to surface.
On May 7, 1915, the RMS Lusitania, jewel of the Cunard Line, was on a New York-to-Liverpool run when it was attacked by a German U-boat 12 miles off the coast of Ireland.
At 2:10 p.m., a torpedo plowed into the ship and exploded. Fifteen seconds later, a massive second explosion rocked the ship again.
Within a mere 18 minutes, the Lusitania plunged 300 feet to the bottom of the Celtic Sea. Of the 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 were lost, including 128 Americans. The tragedy sparked anti-German fervor that eventually drew the United States into World War I.
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