Newspaper report on Titanic disaster. RMS Titanic, the largest ocean liner ever built at the time, was reputed to be unsinkable. However, during its maiden voyage it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on the night of 14 April 1912 and sank with the loss of 1517 lives. Initial reports on 15 April had stated that the ship was safe following the collision. By the following day, as in this 16 April front cover of 'The World' newspaper, it was known that the ship had sunk. The survivors disembarked in New York on 18 April.