New NI exhibition tells story of Titanic survivors plucked from icy waters by Carpathia
THE stories of those who survived the Titanic disaster after they were rescued from the water are set to be told in Belfast.
An exhibition has been launched to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Carpathia — the ship that rescued more than 700 following the tragedy.
Titanic sank after striking an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912, taking 1,500 souls to a watery Atlantic grave.
Although lesser known than Titanic and Captain Edward Smith, Carpathia and Captain Arthur Rostron played key roles in the Titanic story.
The exhibition on SS Nomadic, which is running until August 17, tells the story of how the Carpathia braved dangerous ice fields and diverted all steam power to the engines for the Titanic rescue mission.
It also reveals details of the journey back to New York and the aftermath.
Relatives of those on board Carpathia from as far away as America and Australia have supported the exhibition by submitting their stories.
Janet Rostron — Captain Rostron’s great granddaughter — said she was delighted to be
in Belfast to launch the exhibition on board the Nomadic, which once transferred passengers to and from Titanic .
“It offers a truly unique perspective and uncovers new accounts of what happened to those who were saved and those who did the saving on that fateful night,” she said.
“I’m so thankful for those relatives who have sent images and stories to be included and that these will be showcased this summer at Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic.”
Titanic Belfast chief executive Judith Owens said: “Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic tell the story of Titanic, from her conception in Belfast, to her famous maiden voyage and tragic end, and Carpathia played a pivotal role in the story.
“This exhibition showcases Carpathia, the action she took and the lives she saved, and uniquely through the eyes of those on board or whose relatives were saved.
“We are proud that we could share these stories not only with Janet but with all our visitors from throughout the world this summer.”
The exhibition also charts Carpathia’s timeline from serving as a passenger ship, through her service in World War One and on to her sinking. She was serving as a Canadian and US troop transport and was torpedoed off the Irish Coast.
For more information, visit www.titanicbelfast.com.