Lusitania wreck

RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner that a German submarine, the U-20, sank on 7 May 1915 during the First World War. It happened about 20 kilometres off the Old Head of Kinsale in Ireland. The ship went down in only 18 minutes.

Of about 1,960 people on board, only 763 survived, and around 128 of the dead were Americans. The wreck lies on its side on the sea floor, 93 metres down. The sinking turned public opinion in many countries against Germany. The ship's story is still told as one of the most famous sea disasters of the First World War.

What happened

Germany had declared the waters around the United Kingdom a war zone. Passengers had been warned of the danger before leaving New York, but the attack itself came without warning. From about 700 metres away, the submarine fired a single torpedo. After it struck, a second explosion happened inside the ship. The Lusitania sank rapidly and many people could not get off.

Why it still matters

The sinking helped push the United States toward the war, which it entered on 6 April 1917. Pictures of the stricken liner were used in propaganda and recruiting. The ship carried passengers, but also about 173 tonnes of war supplies, including rifle ammunition. Some writers claim Britain deliberately put the ship at risk, but mainstream historians reject this and see a mix of mistakes and misfortune.

On the globe

The toy globe marks the Lusitania wreck off the south coast of Ireland. Look under the sea surface for the sunken liner.