Timeline: The Titanic's Final Hours April 15, 1912 - 12:00 AM
The lifeboats begin to be readied for launch. The 20 boats have
space for only 1,178 of the more than 2,200 people on board. An
order is later given for women and children to board first, with
crewmen to row and guide the boats. - 12:15 AM Captain Smith
orders Phillips and Harold Bride to send out a distress signal.
Although SOS became the official distress signal several years
earlier, many still use CQD. (CQ signifies a general call, and
the D means distress.) Over the next several hours, Phillips
will send out both. The Frankfurt is among the first to respond,
but the liner is some 170 nautical miles (315 km) to the south.
Other ships also offer assistanceincluding the Titanic's sister
ship the Olympicbut are too far away. - 12:20 AM The Carpathia
receives a distress signal from the Titanic: Come at once. We
have struck a berg. It's a CQD, old man. The Cunard liner
immediately changes course to aid the stricken ship some 58
nautical miles (107 k