Olympic-class ocean liner
When "Titanic" sank in 1912 and "Britannic" sank in 1916, their sinkings did not receive the same attention, due to the death toll (1,517 on "Titanic" and 30 on "Britannic"). Because the exact position of the sinking of the "Britannic" is known and the location is shallow, the wreck was discovered relatively easily in 1975. "Titanic", however, drew everyone's attention in 1912. After several attempts, the wreck was finally located by Jean-Louis Michel of Ifremer and Robert Ballard following a top secret mission for the US Navy to investigate the wreckage of two nuclear submarines, USS Thresher (SSN-593) and the USS Scorpion (SSN-589), that sank in the North Atlantic in the 1960s. The discovery of the wreck occurred on 1 September 1985, at 25 kilometres from the position given of the sinking. The wreck lies about 4,000 metres deep, broken in two. The bow is relatively well preserved, but the stern partially imploded, and to a large extent disintegrated during the descent and impact on the seabed.
Herbert Haddock
At the time of "Titanic"s sinking Haddock was sailing "Olympic" easterly from New York to Southampton, approximately west by south of "Titanic"s location. Haddock was informed of the disaster by wireless operator Ernest James Moore at 2250 ET on 14 April. After receiving a CQD call from "Titanic", Haddock calculated a new course and headed directly to her. He also sent for an engineer to set the ship's engines to full power. When from "Titanic", at approximately 1600 ET on 15 April, Haddock received a message from Captain Rostron of RMS "Carpathia", explaining that continuing on course to "Titanic" would gain nothing, as "All boats accounted for. About 675 souls saved [...] Titanic foundered about 2.20 am." Rostron requested that the message be forwarded to White Star and Cunard. He said that he was returning to harbour in New York, and recommended that other ships do the same. Subsequently, the wireless room aboard the "Olympic" operated as a clearing room for radio messages.