With the upcoming anniversary of the tragic Titanic sinking this weekend, 14 April, we’ve compiled a list of alternative theories and conspiracy theories, which go against the mainstream media’s account of what really happened. Do any of these theories hold so much as a grain of truth, or are they all pure fiction? Read on to find out.

Perhaps they were Twins
A popular conspiracy theory concerns the sister ship of the Titanic, the Olympic, which many theorists claim was the actual ship that sank on April 14, 1912, and not the Titanic. Both were owned by White Star Line, and when the Olympic suffered a collision from the HMS Hawke, her hull, main starboard engine, joint plating and one of the propellers was severely damaged. Taking the matter to court, White Star was informed that the HMS Hawke was in no way liable, which meant that repairs would fall on their shoulders.

The repair parts were costly, so it’s thought that they simply converted the Titanic to Olympic specifications, using parts cannibalised from her older sister (though practically speaking this wouldn’t fly, as it would be more difficult and expensive to remodel the Olympic to look like a brand new ship, and then mess up the brand new Titanic to look like her sister … but these are mere details).

The Titanic then supposedly left under the name “Olympic”, and started a successful 25-year period as her sister. For the badly damaged Olympic time was short, as the ‘Titanic’s maiden voyage crept closer and closer. So instead of replacing damaged sections, a lick and spit approach was taken, with braces put in place to cover up the hull damage and necessities such as lifeboats were skimped on, and as such, most were unseaworthy.

Was she truly unsinkable?
One of the propellers found in the Titanic wreckage has a clear 01, though the Olympic, was model 400. However, one of the marked differences between the two ships, apart from the fact the Olympic was white and her sister was black, was that the Olympic was fitted with a bulkhead. The Titanic was not.

Strangely, a bulkhead was discovered amongst the wreckage of the Titanic, which was not on any of the initial plans, along with a missing joint plating (one of the mishaps from the Olympic). Where the black paint on the wreckage has worn away, a clear white undercoat is shown, so perhaps they did switch the two ships out after all. If you’re interested in learning more, then research Robin Gardiner, who wrote a comprehensive book detailing all the small differences.

My favourite quote from wiki answers regarding this: “… you would have to be rock-stupid to trade out the Olympic for Titanic, and this fact is very obvious.” Ah, but when has the obvious ever been obvious?

Creepy Coincidence
In 1898, 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, a book is written by Morgan Robertson detailing a passenger liner named the “Titan” being hit by an iceberg and going down. Other similarities include the fact that they both sank in April in the North Atlantic, and that there were not enough lifeboats for the passengers. In a very strange turn of events, records show that the original novel was actually present in the Titanic’s second-class library.

Numbers
An even more unusual take on the tragedy is that it was actually sunk as part of a government conspiracy because (get this) Abraham Lincoln died 47 years prior to the tragedy. The Titanic could carry 3,547 passengers. The number 47 is in there, did you see that too? This is quite clearly irrefutable evidence!

There is also a video on the subject which explores the ‘fact’ that metal is stronger than ice. The man in the video demonstrates this almost valid point by using a bath filled with water and ice cubes … and a toy ship. The video may shock you, but is well worth a watch: Youtube: The Titanic, a Conspiracy.

To end off there is a quote I think we’d all do well to heed, which comes from Director James Cameron: “The unthinkable can happen, the future is unknowable, and the only thing we truly own is today”.

Whether the above theories hold any water is still a matter up for debate, but as it stands, it’s unlikely we’ll ever get to know. Do you know any other alternative accounts of the events of 14/04/1912? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below.

Main image courtesy of the Encyclopedia Titanica.