Frank Prentice, a crew member and survivor of the Titanic disaster, once shared his firsthand experience of what it was like when the ship struck the iceberg. Describing the moment of impact, Prentice said it felt like “jamming your brakes on the car” rather than a harsh collision. He recalled going onto the deck, seeing large chunks of ice, and later helping passengers into lifeboats as the realization set in that the ship was sinking.
Prentice, along with two other crew members, made the decision to jump overboard as the situation worsened. Narrowly avoiding the ship’s propellers, he landed in the freezing water and stayed with his injured colleague, Cyril Ricks, until Ricks tragically passed away. Prentice was later rescued by lifeboat 4, which remained near the Titanic to help survivors.
Reflecting on the tragedy, Prentice noted that many of the early lifeboats were launched with only a few passengers because people didn’t believe the ship was actually going to sink. He emphasized that more lives could have been saved if more people had boarded the lifeboats sooner. Ultimately, 1,178 people could have been saved, but only 705 survived the disaster.
Prentice’s pocket watch, which stopped at 2:20 a.m. when the Titanic sank, remains a poignant reminder of that fateful night. His account highlights the confusion and disbelief among those on board, as many passengers and crew members initially underestimated the severity of the situation.
