What Happened to Titanic's Rescue Ship? | The Story of the Carpathia

Many of us know about the Carpathia as the ship that rescued Titanic’s survivors from the frigid North Atlantic in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. It was a day that would define Carpathia's career—as well as that of her captain’s, Arthur Rostron—but what was Carpathia's life like in the years before and after the Titanic disaster?

Today we explore the storied history of one of the world’s most famous rescue ships … and the life she led outside of Titanic’s shadow.

Chapters:
Early career 0:55
Titanic rescue 3:22
War service 5:43

Follow me for more ship geekdom:

[stevefranks]

Greetings and kudos for the fine tribute you gave to the Carpathia, her captain and crew. The lesser known details reveal the amount of research you did for this video. The particular selection of photos also greatly added to your very smooth delivery of her "story" and Carpathia's career. Good show all round!

My Hungarian grandmother came to America on the Carpathia (at two years of age) with her mother and older sister in 1908. "Father" had come to America a year earlier to secure a place to live and a job in East St. Louis. When she married, my future grand parents moved to Detroit's Hunky Town (Delray) where my grandfather would secure a successful career at Cadillac Motors for the next 38 years. Our family names are Franks, Poszgai, Choban and Horvath.

[vincutler]

She saved my great grandfather, if it was not for her many of us including myself and family would not be here today.
My family lost 5 on that day.
May they never be forgotten 🙏❤

[stevenpilling]

She was a legend. Her chief engineer had her pushing through the water at two knots faster than she had ever gone before. Captain Rostrom and his bridge officers showed the pinnacle of seamanship in guiding the ship through those ice infested nighttime waters to Titanic's position. In the meantime, the staff and passengers pulled together to prepare for the survivors. Remarkable story.

[theneedle]

My grandfather grew up in a farm in Östergötland Sweden. On the farm they had a maid, she bought a ticket to the USA on the Titanic. She was one of the people who survived the Titanic sinking and was saved by the Carpathia. She wrote us a letter from New York when she got there safely.

[bluewolvesstudios]

My highest respects to Carpathia and her crew for rescuing Titanic's survivors.

[OCDTraci]

The RMS Carpathia will always have a special place in history.
She did so much for so many; so sad she went down the way she did.

[harrietharlow]

I get tears in my eyes at the Carpathia's dash to save the Titanic's survivor's. It's said that officers noticed Rostron in a quiet spot on the Carpathia's bridge holding his cap a bit above his head lips, moving silently, praying for everyone. Thank you, Captain Rostron and RMS Carpathia.

[JohnLee-ptjz]

Captain Rostrum was the hero of the Titanic disaster, he was so organised getting everything ready to take on board survivors.

[peppimcpepp]

My great grandfather was on the Carpathia the night Titanic sank. Thankyou for posting this video it makes me feel like getting to know a part of him even though I never met him.

[leonardolupini]

One detail surprisingly left out was that Arthur Rostron was actually knighted by King George in 1926, so his title is therefore Sir and not Captain

[danielschwartz]

Why doesn’t anyone make a movie about this ship and its brave crew.

[chrisjeffries]

My Grandparents immigrated to the USA from Greece on there honeymoon in 1912 . So the Carpathia has always been a back drop to our family. Thank you Ship Geek.

[FordMan-pesm]

Ever since I read "A Night To Remember" by Walter Lord In school in the 70s to this day, every time I hear or see anything related to the Carpathia, I get goosebumps. Thinking of how Captain Rostron and his crew risked their lives to go maximum speed through the darkness to to save as many souls on the Titanic as they could! Obviously by all the replies, this is a story that has to be told on the big screen! Someone, make this movie! It's an Absolute Home Run if it's made right!

[TheAeroAvatar]

Godspeed Carpathia, the world thanks you for all you gave, and for those you saved. What a beautiful ship.

[lawrencelewis]

Rostron went on to captain the Mauretania. He pulled her into port on time almost every time. So much so that she was called the Rostron Express. A real pro.

[taelorwatson]

A movie about this ship would be great. It took three torpedoes to take her down. Meanwhile Lusitania was gone in one. It's saved so many in its lifetime. I could see a brief portion with the building of her. Then the efforts to save the people of the Titanic. Then a little more of her troop transport duties ending with her sinking, knowing that even then she saved lives

[NachoMamaNow]

My great grandfather was on the Carpathia. I never knew him and would have loved to hear his stories of the ship. He took his tales with him.

[petesy]

My grandfather served on the carpathia in 1915, I still have his service book with the names of the ships he served on

[silvertbird]

Someone with literary talent should write a short story in which the positions of Californian and Carpathia are switched on that night to remember. What might have been the outcome had Carpathia been only 15-20 miles away from Titanic, and arrived before she sank. Rostron was bold and decisive and I could see him bringing Carpathia right alongside, even risking damage to his ship. But the sea was so calm I think the ships could have remained nearly touching with little difficulty. Carpathia is quite a bit lower, but no doubt many could still have scrambled down to safety. She could have launched her lifeboats, and after taking aboard those in Titanic’s boats, used the little fleet of lifeboats to rescue people in the water before they succumbed to hypothermia. Oh, Carpathia, what you would have done if only you could have! You did your very best, but the distance was simply too great. And here is yet another layer to be peeled back from the onion skin of metaphor which is the entire Titanic saga, with lessons upon lessons.

[mariselojeda]

Carpathia needs a movie, or atleast a documentary all to herself