With its dramatic twists and massive loss of life, the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic remains one of maritime history's most compelling tragedies.
Exactly 99 years ago, the "unsinkable" luxury liner was pulled into the Atlantic Ocean after it struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York. Of the 2,223 people on board, only 706 survived.
In Belfast, where the ship was constructed, city officials were expected to lay wreaths at the Titanic Memorial near City Hall and observe a moment of silence, the BBC is reporting. Meanwhile, commemorative services and special events were also scheduled in Southampton, England, from which Titanic set sail on April 10, 1912.
And though the tragedy has already been the subject of films, plays and even a Broadway musical, a British theater company is going even further by allowing audience members to re-enact the ship's final hours, the BBC is reporting.
Meanwhile, in Halifax, Nova Scotia -- where many Titanic victims are buried -- plans are reportedly underway for a 2012 memorial festival to mark the tragedy's centennial, though some enthusiasts have complained that the city has done little to take advantage of its connection to the ill-fated ship.
