Another chilling detail to this story: When Captain Kendall was on his deathbed in 1965, the nurses attending Kendall reported that he seemed to be reliving the horror of a shipwreck in his delirium.
The thought of arms sticking out from portholes unable to be rescued is going to haunt me for a long time. This was an amazing documentary and tribute to a great ship.
That part may not be correct because passengers climbed out of those portholes and were seen standing outside the ship as it went down as opposed to people seeing arms but it would have been a very confusing scene. Some were saved from the water after but it was a horrific sinking.
Very well done. God Bless those who. “Passed” and special blessing on those who risked their own lives to help. Be assured there is more good in the world than “ bad “ we just have to look a little harder for it. 1:07:00
H M S Royal Oak was similar. R N Divers were confronted with the sight ofdozens of boys drowned. Told nothing was wrong when they awoke to a shudder of the Battleship as the first torpedoes struck. The German was uncucssesfull in his first attack and allowed to make a second. Many were trapped below deck and tried uncuccessfully to escape via the portholes becoming stuck. H M S Royal Oak was sunk in The Home Fleet Anchorage of Scapa Flow, by Kapitan Gunther Prien in 1939.
Your videos on ship disasters are a perfect example of why I say that, if you look for it, there is content on TH-cam that rivals TV. The writing, the animations, the narration, it’s all legit professional grade stuff, and yet we can watch it for free! Hats off to you, good sir!
Given what I've seen of recent television, I'd say that the best stuff here on TH-cam is better than television. Passion for what you are doing has a big impact.
Titanic is way sadder, I think, and much more ordained. Everything for that ship to sink, was perfectly arranged, years in advance... down to most minute details.. and even the change of currents at the last hours, correcting for the correction of course to avoid the ice. The consequence of its sinking, is WW1 and WW2, which collectively took well over 100mil lives. That is, because the financial and aristocratic elite of the British Empire and the US, sunked with it, bringing up amateur inheritors, who mismanaged very fragile political and financial institutions, making WW1 and thought it, WW2 inevitable. In truth, once I've considered all of the hundreds of "coincidences" what had to occur with perfect timing, to make Titanic sink... and the sheer impact it had on human history as a result... is astonishing. It's as if the hand of God was intimately involved at the most meticulous level, from the formation of the ice to the currents, and the crew. Its really astounding once you look at the entire picture with every peace of the puzzle in place. Anyhow.. it's not like there is q championship of tragedy, and this one is horrific too in it's own way.. just far less segnificant in terms of global consequence.
@@hansolo631 I'm not. It happened for many reasons, but the loss of the financial and aristocratic elite of the British Empire, and alot of the big bankers from US, was one of the catalysts, what made the whole thing possible, to a very large extent. It's not a cause in of itself, not arguing that. But it did create the conditions what made it much more likely once the causes themselves where made manifest.
My neighbour is retired from the the Salvation Army brass band. He makes sure people don't forget the Empress of Ireland disaster. For him it's personal, his uncle was in the band going to UK when he died in the collision and subsequent sinking.
as the sinking of Titanic is connected, according to the legend, with Nearer My God To Thee, the farewell to the Empress on her last voyage will forever be connected with the Salvation Army's God Be With You Till We Meet Again. Here the tune is eerily blended into the documentary, and it gives me chills. The Titanic may be the most famous shipwreck ever, but the story of the EoI is not less chilling, I would say even equally so.
Born and lived near the St. Lawrence all my life, and boated on it many, many times. It's savage, icy cold, with very strong currents, and always full of pleasurecraft and freighters. I heard about the Empress of Ireland sinking many years ago, and simply did not realize the scale of the disaster... This was amazing, haunting, and heartbreaking storytelling and imagery. This hit close to home...
I am Canadian, and I have heard the history of this tragedy before. This is the best researched, written, and presented documentary about the Empress of Ireland I have seen. Well done Mike and Crew, and thank you!
The reason that I feel that this disaster has not been treated like it deserves is that the people who died were just good everyday people - there wasn't an Astor, Straus, Guggenheim, or Countess of Rothes on the ship.
I agree, I know of the accident and, life of the ship, and legacy, however it was all learned from watching many different documentaries and videos, as well as literary research. This is the first I have seen to gather and bring so much information and detail about this topic. I am Canadian as well.
@@LJB103Titanic also took about a movie's length of time to sink, great to make a movie out of every 40 or 50 years to keep it a household name. Plus it was her maiden voyage, adding an "are you kidding me" bit.
@@nthgth True, but it only took 18 minutes for the Lusitania to sink and an hour for the Wilhelm Gusloff (with 9,343 deaths!). More to my point is what do most people remember about the Titanic: John Jacob Astor IV; Benjamin Guggenheim and his manservant getting dressed up; Ida Straus refusing to leave her husband Isadore; Margaret (never called Molly) Tobin Brown....(and maybe a few crew members). How many remember 2nd class passengers let alone steerage class? Most.if not all, aboard the Empress of Ireland would most likely have been 2nd class on the Titanic. I do suspect that many people do not know much, if anything, about the MV Wilhelm Gustloff either.
An amazing story of grief heartache and bravery. It doesn’t really matter who was at fault. Just how those poor people struggled to survive trying to get out of portholes in despair. I had never heard of this tragedy before the Titanic and the war overshadowed everything. Thank you so much for your documentary that was really researched well. It must have been harrowing and distressing for all involved. Thank you once again.
Mate... I love how you articulate, not only the event but the human struggle. Most focus on the ship itself, but you have wholistically given this tragedy so much more soul and depth. As a writer, I salute you, Sir. 🫡
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 Is it sadder than the SS Arctic disaster of 1854? Only 88 people survived out of 400+. Zero of the survivors were women or children.
Mike, you told us a couple months ago that you planned to impress us, but this sir, is next level. From Oceanliner Illustrator, to teller of nautical tales, to this level of production quality - all in insanely short order. I am not impressed, I stand in awe. What you have accomplished here is astounding. Perhaps being raised in Québec and being familiar with this particular tale it hit close to home, but I was actually emotionally moved. Not even your always soothing voice could asuage the feeling of despair I felt for the fate of passengers and crew. Pride in the quality of this production is absolutely warranted. Kudos kind sir, and my thanks.
It's not just because you're from Quebec. I don't live in Canada and I almost cried from this. The use of visuals and audio with his gentle voice was almost too much. But the video was so beautifully done I couldn't stop watching it!
Thanks so much, I honestly am always floored by the incredible feedback I get from comments and it makes everything myself and the team do so worthwhile. Thanks so much for watching!
I love how in the video, the entire sinking sequence is done in 14min, just like the real sinking took 14min. It just goes to show how quickly it happened, and how much hurt in did in such a short amount of time.
Words honestly fail Me right now... This has to be one of the most amazing documentaries I've ever watched, and not just on TH-cam. How you kept your voice so calm and even, is beyond Me. You truly honor not just the Empress Of Ireland, but all those who perished that tragic day and even those who survived, as well as their families. Well done.
RIP to all 1,012 souls who lost their lives 109 years ago during the Sinking of RMS Empress of Ireland on May 29, 1914. May They Never Be Forgotten. Thank you Mike for this amazing documentary. Keep up the great work.
I'm only 2 minutes in, and it's already clear this is going to be a masterful retelling of a story that deserves to be told more often. Edit after watching: "There was just the quick, the lucky, and the dead." What a powerful phrase to capture the essence of the Empress tragedy. Well done, Mike.
As an Able Bodied Seaman stationed on a military vessel, I often find myself watching these scenes during my gangway watch. They evoke such powerful emotions that I sometimes find myself moved to tears. I can't help but hope that no one catches me in such a vulnerable state while on duty.
You’ve truly outdone yourself with this one Mike! Thank you for honoring all who were lost and the spirit of the ship itself. You really know how to tell a story in a way that is respectful to the subject, the victims, and the viewers as well. it’s fantastic. You’re one of the best channels on the platform imo. Great Job as always!
Somehow as a Canadian, I'd never heard of this tragedy. I was always interested in the Titanic and never even thought to look into other wrecks. What an incredible loss, and SO well presented in this video!
Not like their old technology was to blame it happens nowdays too costa concordia was sink hitting a small island in italy. A stupid tragedy but about 30 people died. And a few weeks ago a big fishing ship carrying about 700 persons was sink but only 100 were rescued in greece... the sea has it's dangers and secrets
@@juanmanumanudice8848the reason nobody talks about it is due to how many passengers it had and how little people died. 30 people out of 4229 is about 0.7% of passengers. Plus it was 100% with the amount of modern technology
There are villains to this tragedy! Our universe was made by computer code. Many people are to blame in making this AI. IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! And no one will stop it.
Wow, thank you for highlighting the heroic efforts that took place on board. They need to be recognized and not forgotten. Rest in peace to all those souls lost. Such a terrible tragedy.
I've gone from never having heard of it through to tears for it in 66 minutes. Masterfully told, and that the hymn was performed by a Salvation Army band didn't go unnoticed.
Hi Mike. This is an absolute masterpiece. Your incredible storytelling ability, obvious love of ships and the terrific graphics and editing have combined to create a film that puts 95% of the History Channel, Discovery Channel and BBC to shame. Thank you is grossly insufficient praise for you and your team. Long may you continue and thrive my friend. My deepest regards to you all.
30:40 I'm pretty sure they looked back. I've lived by the St Lawrence River my whole life and no matter how many times i've seen a ship go by in my life, i am always fascinated and awed by them. We never get blasé of ships. And yes, i hear the horns blowing when the river is covered in fog. It's always special to me.
The best documentary I’ve seen so far about this disaster. Told with forensic details and human compassion. So beautifully edited that I was with those poor souls, trapped inside the Empress of Ireland and feeling the terror they must have felt, blind in the dark, in sideways corridor, engulfed by freezing water. Very emotional and enraged against all those series of unlucky circumstances that led to this terrible human tragedy. Thank you for reminding us about this sadly often forgotten sinking and most of all for honouring the memories of its victims.
I couldn't imagine being that captian, out in that fog, listening to all of the screams after I'd smashed into the side of the ship. The guilt, the horror, the panic of what to do.. I don't know that I'd be able to find the strength to go on living afterwards.
I can see where it sank from my parent’s beach house. When we were kids in the 80s and played by the beach we’d still find artifacts from the wreck every once in a while.
As a Canadian, and Salvationist who played in my local Citadel Corp band, it's always touching and appreciated when this disaster is brought to greater public attention. Well done.
As usual, you've told a story that not only is about the ship, but the souls aboard her. And you've conveyed a small echo of the utter heartbreak that followed the loss of the Empress of Ireland and the people who were aboard. If tears are the ultimate compliment, consider yourself very well complimented Mr. Brady. Thank you.
I cannot recall when last I saw so moving a programme. Until 9.00p.m. I knew not of the The Empress of Ireland or of her fate but now, due entirely to your incredibly moving film, I shall think often of the ship that was forgotten. May God be holding close the 1012 souls lost that night. Mr Brady, Thank You for telling an unknowing world of this tragic event.
The only way I can describe this video is “epic.” Mike, this video looks like something produced by a major studio, but with heart. Your story telling, coupled with the visuals, music and facts make this video an absolute masterpiece. Hopefully your video will reach an unprecedented amount of views so the people who went through this tragedy will someday be remembered on a level equal to The Titanic and Lusitania.
@@randomrazr - 5 or 6 times the number of Titanic victims were lost on the WG, yet a majority of people never heard about it. War-time or not that's unusual I'd say. Perhaps it didn't fit the narrative the victors were trying to portray because it was a war-crime against non-combatants?
The first 3 minutes aka the introduction, where more terrifying then any horror movie I can think of. Just the screams and…you do such a good job of story telling.
Too often, we associate sinkings of these beautiful ocean liners with only the wreck and the disaster that caused it. It's so hard to associate ships like this with their original splendour and the stories that made that splendour possible. Thank you for opening my eyes to the Empress of Ireland's splendour before the terrible disaster that struck her and the 1,012 passengers that lost their lives that terrible, cold night.
Your ability to convey such a tragedy to someone with quite limited understanding of how a ship is designed and a lack of general maritime knowledge is something that i can only explain as majestic. I’ve watched many, many of your videos but this one, sir, is a masterpiece if I say so myself. It felt as though I was right there experiencing it myself, first hand. Good job buddy. The music, narration, animation and the content in general was simply perfect. I look forward to more masterpieces from this channel. You have always been very good st creating these types of videos but you are getting really good
Mike, I learned about this, and I have never heard of the Empress of Ireland, and it was so sad that it was in the St. Lawrence River, so close to shore, but it just sank, and all those people passed away. Most people know about the Titanic, but I have never heard of the Empress of Ireland and I thank you for telling us about her. So tragic!!
This shipwreck is even more horrifying than the Titanic. Fewer people died, but it was a bigger percentage of the passengers than those who died on the Titanic and almost all the children died.
You aren’t wrong, the sheer speed that things went to shit completely cut any chance of the usual children and women first. Sounds like it was literally just if you could fill a lifeboat just send it immediately. The location wasn’t as bad as the titanic tho. Was in a river only 5 miles from shore, far better for survival chances if you escape the ship than just being essentially in the middle of nowhere in the North Atlantic
@@brendan9868 It was also hard to launch the lifeboats due to the ship essentially rolling over on its starboard side. And like the North Atlantic, the water in the St. Lawrence River was below freezing. Anyone who fell in would have frozen to death in minutes.
@@mariahwhitneycelinejanetmadona 1,012 of the 1,447 passengers on the Empress of Ireland died, which is equal to roughly 69%. Roughly 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers on the Titanic died, or roughly 68%.
I watched the 14 minute animation before seeing this. That was well done but this full version is many times more frightening and deeply affecting. I only knew the barest outlines of the disaster before and that seems remiss of me. Thank you for giving the Empress and everyone involved a heart-felt memorial.
This was extremely compelling to listen to. Hell, the last ten minutes as you went over the survivors and what they did even started to make me tear up. Amazing pacing too, the 30 minute build-up to the disaster painted an amazing image of a wonderful ship I'd have loved to travel on, and when disaster struck I felt only dread as it all started to be destroyed. Excellent video.
This video is a masterpiece. I've known about this disaster for years, but this documentary really explains everything clearly and respectfully. Mike you have a gift and a future in voice overs or broadcasting in general. Keep up the great work.
Thanks, Mike for an incredible video. My wife and I have approximately seven dives on the Empress. Definitely not for the timid. Absolutely frigid water even in early September (35 to 38 F). On our second series of dives the visibility was only approximately four feet. It was incredible diving on a wreck that is so filled with tragic history. The worst maritime disaster in Canada's history and so few Canadians know about it. Could not help saying a prayer for the victims while diving the wreck. May all their souls rest in peace.
Thank you for your respect and reverence for those who went down with the ship. But then, how could a person not give respects when visiting a gravesite tho I'm sure many do. Anyhoo, thanks.
As soon as I got to the part where the fog rolled in and the ship was brought to a stop, I was wondering why the watertight doors weren’t closed preemptively. I’m the captain of an airliner, and the instant that things start to become non standard, we begin preparing for a worst case scenario, and taking precautionary measures to mitigate what might happen next. I often tell my junior crew members, “Every decision we make and action we take has to keep in mind the worst case scenario. How will this affect us if we are in a field somewhere with smoke filling the cabin?” I know that a ship is an entirely different beast, but Cpt. Kendall could have alerted his crew to possible danger and had everyone ready. If they had missed in the end, everyone would have merely breathed a sigh of relief and gone back to their normal activities. But I say that with the benefit of the collective knowledge of hundreds of years of nautical experience. Fantastic video, as always. Lord hear us as we cry to thee, for those in peril on the sea.
I'm with you there. The moment it became crystal clear that we were not going to get out of their way, I would have immediately had the watertight doors closed, especially given that it took 3 minutes to close them in the best of conditions.
Indeed, if you're going to stop your ship due to those circumstances (and, I presume, are worried about running aground too) then have those doors shut just in case.
@@randomlyentertaining8287 It was literal seconds between, "oh, they're going to hit us" and the impact. The captain of the Empress hoped that Storstad would remain in place long enough for them to close the water-proof doors but the Storstad was pulled away immediately and the damage was so extensive and the water pressure so intense that any attempts to close the doors were fruitless, if they were attempted. This incident and others like it is why on modern cruise ships those doors are closed by default.
@redshirt49 Recently, I watched a video on a channel of a cruise ship employee and they mentioned that normally the watertight doors are closed, but that day (can’t remember why) they were open for a brief time and he could go down a hallway that was normally not accessible from his location.
It sank as fast as I initially thought the Titanic had. I was floored that ships could take hours to sink. At least with the Titanic there was enough time for passengers to put on their life jackets. There was’t even enough time to send out a distress signal with the Empress of Ireland.
@@m.j.mbrooks1859 This and Lusitania make Titanic genuinely the preferable sinking in terms of "If I had to survive one". I'll take hyperthermia to being crushed by lifeboats, or being trapped in the dark.
OMG this was scarier then Tom Lynskey and team's On A Sea Of Glass Titanic animation. The shots of the ship capsizing onto her starboard side in both the interior and exterior all just reminded me of The Poseidon Adventure.
The big flaw in her design was the insane size of her boiler rooms, situated in two compartments which were both penetrated by Storstads bow. Combined these two compartments occupied one third of the ships hull, so allowing unchecked flooding in such a large space doomed her to drop like a rock
For that to happen, those boiler rooms must have had a common bulkhead. If they had been sub-divided and separated, this might not have happened. However, the collision likely broke her keel, there would have been nothing the crew could have done to prevent those compartments from flooding.
Much like a destroyer in either of the two World Wars being hit in the machinery spaces by a torpedo, the Empress was hit in the worst possible place that was virtually unsurvivable, particularly if the impression that the inquiry gathered was correct (that Storstad probably collided right at the bulkhead dividing the boiler rooms, demolishing it).
I’m from Montreal, but I spent a lot of time in Rimouski. There is actually a museum/memorial for the Empress of Ireland there.Thank you for bringing to light this forgotten tragedy!
Beautiful music and very excellently done. Almost as many people were killed in this tragedy as the Titanic but you never hear about it. I had never heard about it until I watched your video but I thank you so much. It is making me cry.
Damn, this scenario was far worse than the rather calm sinking of the Titanic. Worse than the foundering of Lusitania even. I had read about this, but never realised the true extend of the disaster and death it brought. I truly shuddered at the thought of what this might have been like. Awesome job dude.
honestly after seeing so many ship wrecks, i'll always be surprised by how calm and graceful the titanic was. it went out in music. many ships need only less than 30 minutes, but titanic, being older, still held on. i'm surprised
There actually was a man who both survived the Titanic AND then the Empress, apparently he compared the Titanic's sinking to a baby calmy going to sleep while the Empress rolled over like a pig in a mudd pen.
Dear Mike, what a moving documentary. Finally, the tragic story of the Empress of Ireland has been told, and how! The First World War and then time affronted the unfortunate victims by forgetting the hell of their last minutes of life. This injustice, thanks to you and your wonderful passion for ocean liners, has just been corrected. Now the world knows forever.
Your narration. The visuals. The audio. So beautifully woven together. Had me weeping for these people. For the lives that were stolen from them, and the horror that they must've faced.
What a horrible ordeal those poor souls had to endure. R.I.P. to all those who lost their lives on the Empress of Ireland. A very fitting tribute Mike. Well done 👏
C'mon people, how about throwing a few more likes for this masterpiece. Mike's done an extraordinary job with this. Absolutely amazing video and brought a tear to the eye by the ending.
As a Navy Veteran I can attest to how dark it is at Sea, so dark that even a small lit cigarette can be seen from very far away by a trained eye and viewing equipment (Was actually a no no to be above decks at night smoking or otherwise using a light). To navigate unfamiliar passageways in the pitch blackness is nigh impossible and can only be done by feel, not knowing which hatch provides the exit or another room would be certain doom. Stopping the Ship is not really an option and was a strange choice, most Ships would reduce to 1/3 or even 1/2 in orderto maintain adequate steering and an emergency call for full or flank speeds could be attained much faster than from a dead stop.
The part where the Empress is leaving has my mind running wild. To imagine the farewells, the calling out over the hissing of steam, sound of the sea birds. The trundling of feet on deck and smell of lit tobacco in the air. The scene would have been surreal. You capture these moments eloquently. It keeps the memory of those lost alive. Thank you for providing me this experience. Stellar work. Cheers.
What a story! I thoroughly enjoy this channel. It’s so easy to hear of a ship sinking, and think of just the ship itself, but it’s the human stories and moments that make it devastatingly beautiful. The compassion, strength, selflessness, resilience.. humility in almost certain death. Thank you for bringing these moments in history to life.
thank you for bringing this piece of history to light. it would so easily be buried beneath the events of world war and forgotten by time. truly appreciate what you've done.
For anyone interested in the last known survivor. I googled it while listening to this: "Edith Grace Martyn (nee Hanagan May 16, 1907 - May 15, 1995) was the youngest and last survivor of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland on May 29, 1914. She was one of four children (out of the 138 children on board) who survived the sinking." One day shy of turning 88. Rip Edith.
I believe she is the child who was on her bed and when the other ship crashed she ended up in the hull or on the deck of the other ship still in her bed.
This is one the most excellent shipwreck documentaries Ive ever seen, bar none. I've been fascinated by wrecks ever since I was small child, but this is one of the very few looks at these tragedies that have moved me to tears. Well done, please keep up the good work.
God rest these poor souls. My Dad reminded me of the tragedy of the Empress and I thank God he did. Such a terrible tragedy forgotten by history. Thank you Mike, for doing this ship the right kind of goodbye and tribute.
Your videos are comparable to a Hollywood production, yet you convey the upmost respect & compassion for the victims lost in each tragedy you cover. There's a fine line between telling a story & sensationalizing it for personal benefit yet post after post you do it effortlessly. Thank you for the time, effort & creativity you put into your videos. Its greatly appreciated, Mike!!❤
Have you followed the SS Arctic disaster? That one is even more heartbreaking. No woman or child survived mainly because of the actions of dishonorable men on board. Wow! That is the first I have heard of that sinking. Multiple errors in judgement were made by the command of the SS Arctic.
A simply fantastic video, Mike. It is truly sad that the Empress does not get as much recognition as Lusitania or Titanic. I have seen a few documentaries on her, and this was one of the best. You keep improving and will one day rival the National Geographic.
A sinking of any ship is horrible, considering the fate of the victims. Your account brings us to the very minute of time. Thank you so much. It puts feelings and a face on those involved
man, you deserve every bit of praise you’re getting in these comments. what a beautifully made documentary!! coming from someone who only ever did research on the titanic’s story but you had me absolutely enthralled from beginning to end. incredible work, my friend. i also particularly loved the inclusion of the actual hymn “God be with you til we meet again”. everyone in my family learned that song in kindergarten and we sang it to both my grandparents as they passed. it’s a gorgeous old hymn passed down from generations and hearing it in an arrangement they probably heard aboard the Empress is so incredibly surreal. thanks so much for including that. you’re an incredible storyteller and i hope you’re very proud of this video, because you should be. you’ve totally earned a new sub!
These documentaries are very well made, with music which always seems appropriate and not intrusive. Ralph Vaughan Williams composed a lovely tune for the same words. It's in the English Hymnal, for which he was Musical Editor. I did a TH-cam search for it, but all the few performances it found are of the older tune. Hymnary would have it though, in a page scan. The EH has a section titled For Those At Sea. Other hymns which could be appropriate for documentaries such as this are Abide With Me, with the famous Monk tune Eventide, and Eternal Father Strong To Save, with the Dykes tune Melita, which is in that section of the EH. Many recordings of those on TH-cam, including hundreds of Abide With Me although very few of those are good. I made a list of some of the good ones though, for reference. Keep up the good work Mike.
This is what I love YT for. National Geopraphic could learn from you how to make documentaries. Great video. While ship was sinking, I felt true terror. While the video was about the aftermath, I felt true sadness. No words to explain how incredible this video is. Cheers to you Mike and all other creators involved into this project ❤ You guys made it incredibly great.
This is your greatest video yet, and it’s a great topic. Empress of Ireland is forgotten, despite her passengers having a lower rate of survival compared to that of the Titanic. Her demise is tragic, and so is the tremendous loss of life. Thank you for covering this as seriously as you could. Also, if you haven’t already, I’d suggest you read Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. It is less about the ships involved,and more about Mr. Crippen, His Life, Why he did the murder, and how radio helped him get captured on his near escape to Canada.
You are a great storyteller. I was unaware of the tragic loss of life or the story of the wreck. Its within 400 miles of my residence in the US. Rowald Ferguson the wireless operator was indeed a hero.
Mike, this is BEYOND AMAZING!!!!! I am so proud of you and everyone who worked on this masterpiece! Empress of Ireland’s story needs to be remembered, and you did just that in a phenomenal animation! You’ve really captured the terrifying aspects of a sinking ship! I got chills during some scenes! Well done!!!!!
I live about 40 minutes from the wreck. I am well aware of her existence. After the disaster, people looted bodies that washed ashore, there was people that stole gold teeth, rings and other jewelry off the corpses stored at the Rimouski harbor. Several divers died diving to her. One of the first divers that went down to visit her some weeks after the sinking was walking on the port side and was seeing corpses floating against the portholes of the ship from the bow to stern.
As a salvationist myself, and also a Canadian, this tragedy continues to be talked about and continues to hit home for many of us. The Canadian staff band of today continues to pay tribute to those who were lost in this tragedy (as we should). Thank you for including their story in this video.
When I was young, I definitely recall reading about the Empress of Ireland after knowing about the events of the Titanic & the Lusitania. The sinking of the Empress is high up there in terms of a major maritime disaster, and for decades, I have been hoping that someone would give the grand old lady a real proper detailed & respectful documentary that honors those who died & the lucky ones to survive who were there in late May 1914. Thank you, Mike, for this amazing video. Greetings from the USA
Although very familiar with the Empress' story already, I shed tears watching this. Mike, you and your team have produced the definitive recounting of this heartbreaking tragedy; the human cost- hopes and dreams snuffed out, from comfort to death within minutes. The graphics are a visual masterpiece - the night scenes have an ethereal beauty which must have been very challenging to render. Many congratulations, and many many thanks for giving this event the recognition it has always deserved. RIP all those who perished, and all those who were left behind, to somehow rebuild their lives.
Brilliantly done. As a Canadian and a history buff I have read more than one book on this tragedy. Your visuals bring the event to life and I feel the sadness of those people so long ago who were involved in a way that no written word could. You have done a great service to Canadian history. This kind of telling of a story is a rarity on You Tube and other media sites. You may have set a new standard.
Man, the image of people struggling to escape through narrow portholes on a sideways sinking ship is a thing that gave such an awful sensation... How desperate of a situation it was for the people outside trying to help, not to say for those poor souls trapped inside the ship 😨😔 This is such a well made documentary and tribute to those who were lost in that tragedy. The text and visual are insanely good. Thank you, Michael and everyone involved.
Rimouski native here, I have been obsessed with the Empress for as long as I can remember. I was initially fascinated by the Titanic, and my mom told me we had our own Titanic in the region. She took me to the Musée de la mer in Pointe-au-Père, and I have been visiting the Empress Memorial yearly since. Thank you for bringing her story to light and contributing to her not sinking into oblivion.
My grandfather's sister sailed to Canada on the Empress of Ireland, in about 1907, as a governess. She never came back. In the 1980s I met my Canadian cousins, we have been friends across the ocean ever since.
Wow, Mike, this is one of your best works to this day! Factual to the core and heartfelt at the same time with no unduly (over)dramatization whatsoever. Just a perfect documentary. A worthy monument to all who had to endure this horrible event, alive or dead.
This is so good!! I’ve been a fellow ship disaster enthusiast for the past decade and your videos are so informative and professional, yet still have a personal touch that makes them better than most studio documentaries. I rlly wish I found your videos more than just a month ago. Keep up the great work!
Fantastic work Mike, an amazing tribute. The models and visuals are amazing, and the music hit just right. Well done, I'm really glad I found your channel recently.
Mike, you and your team made an extraordinary work. Just... I can't find words to describe how excellent it is. Not only in the visual and emotional aspects, but in the professionalism you dealt the story. Indeed, an absolutely horrendous tragedy. God Bless all the souls onboard the Empress or Ireland on May 29, 1914 (109 years ago exactly) 🙏🏼
A beautiful eulogy to those who lost their lives in this nearly forgotten peacetime tragedy. My thanks goes to all involved in this documentary's production. Thinking of how those trapped in the hull coped with the knowledge of their deaths reminds me of the events in Pearl Harbor and the men aboard the USS Arizona. Again, thank you all involved for sharing the Empress's story or her life and death in the St. Lawrence. She will be remembered by those who keep her memory alive.
OMG Mike. What an amazing work of art. You are an incredible story teller and the visuals puts one right there in that river. Thank you so much for such a profound video. You were made to do this. Please continue.
An excellent piece of work Mike on a horrifying event on our Canadian history. My wife's mother is believed to have arrived in Canada on board the Empress of Britain so this documentary is very close to home. Well done sir - thanks!
I'd never heard of this particular disaster before, but you told the tale spectacularly and with so much humanity and compassion. The background info and context really helps drive the point home that these were all people. Ordinary, extraordinary, good people, and it really makes your heart go out to them knowing their undeserved fate and that they'd never see home.
RIP to all of the victims of this wreck. I had never heard of the Empress of Ireland until I read a book by Clive Cussler. I had not thought about this ship until I saw this video. Mike fantastic work of bringing this lost tragedy to light for so many.
Between the story telling which was totally enthralling, and the graphics and animation which was masterful, this was amazing and heart breaking. This is a wonderful and respectful telling of this awful human tragedy and, although I am in tears, I want to thank you for this 💔🧡
What an exceptional documentary and video. Rich in detal and totally compelling. Mike, you are an exquisite story teller and historian; first class in fact.
I've often thought about how horrible it would be to navigate through the Titanic as it sank and filled with water but it was obviously a slow sinking compared to the Empress; I can't even fathom what it must have been like for anyone trying to get out of the depths of this ship and away from the rushing water. I especially appreciate the video/animation because it makes it so much more "real" and easier to understand just how violent she was hit and how awful it must have been for the people on board. Excellent video, by the way, very well researched and detailed!
I'm always amazed by how beautiful these liners are, there's a lost elegance to the early 20th century designs that we just don't see anymore. The closest I've been to having the pleasure of being out at sea was when I went whale watching, just off the coast of my beloved Oregon. There's always been something about the ocean that's fascinated me since I was a boy. Thank you for this thoroughly researched documentary about one of the most largely forgotten tragedies on the waves.
Another chilling detail to this story: When Captain Kendall was on his deathbed in 1965, the nurses attending Kendall reported that he seemed to be reliving the horror of a shipwreck in his delirium.
thanks i did not need to know that and i hate it
…. What is going on here?
Want to give some kind of proof of this claim?
@@Gruwg2024 Go look for it yourself if you want it.
its in Wikipedia, take for it what its worth..@@Gruwg2024
The thought of arms sticking out from portholes unable to be rescued is going to haunt me for a long time. This was an amazing documentary and tribute to a great ship.
So close, yet so far
I found that particular detail very troubling as well.
That part may not be correct because passengers climbed out of those portholes and were seen standing outside the ship as it went down as opposed to people seeing arms but it would have been a very confusing scene. Some were saved from the water after but it was a horrific sinking.
Very well done. God Bless those who. “Passed” and special blessing on those who risked their own lives to help. Be assured there is more good in the world than “ bad “ we just have to look a little harder for it. 1:07:00
H M S Royal Oak was similar. R N Divers were confronted with the sight ofdozens of boys drowned. Told nothing was wrong when they awoke to a shudder of the Battleship as the first torpedoes struck. The German was uncucssesfull in his first attack and allowed to make a second. Many were trapped below deck and tried uncuccessfully to escape via the portholes becoming stuck. H M S Royal Oak was sunk in The Home Fleet Anchorage of Scapa Flow, by Kapitan Gunther Prien in 1939.
Your videos on ship disasters are a perfect example of why I say that, if you look for it, there is content on TH-cam that rivals TV. The writing, the animations, the narration, it’s all legit professional grade stuff, and yet we can watch it for free! Hats off to you, good sir!
I agree.
Yes Ditto to that, especially history & war documentaries
Yah this my new TV go from 65in to a 6 inch lol
Ditto. Well said Alex. Thank you.
Given what I've seen of recent television, I'd say that the best stuff here on TH-cam is better than television. Passion for what you are doing has a big impact.
Possibly the saddest ocean liner disaster I know of. So close to shore, yet so far for so many. Rest in peace to the victims
The SS Eastland capsized at the dock, and some 800 passengers still died. Sometimes there’s nothing that can be done
Titanic is way sadder, I think, and much more ordained. Everything for that ship to sink, was perfectly arranged, years in advance... down to most minute details.. and even the change of currents at the last hours, correcting for the correction of course to avoid the ice. The consequence of its sinking, is WW1 and WW2, which collectively took well over 100mil lives. That is, because the financial and aristocratic elite of the British Empire and the US, sunked with it, bringing up amateur inheritors, who mismanaged very fragile political and financial institutions, making WW1 and thought it, WW2 inevitable. In truth, once I've considered all of the hundreds of "coincidences" what had to occur with perfect timing, to make Titanic sink... and the sheer impact it had on human history as a result... is astonishing. It's as if the hand of God was intimately involved at the most meticulous level, from the formation of the ice to the currents, and the crew. Its really astounding once you look at the entire picture with every peace of the puzzle in place. Anyhow.. it's not like there is q championship of tragedy, and this one is horrific too in it's own way.. just far less segnificant in terms of global consequence.
th-cam.com/video/hfkmzBnHsAc/w-d-xo.html
@@theflame5919 I think blaming ww1 and ww2 on the sinking of the titanic is a bit sensationalistic.
@@hansolo631 I'm not. It happened for many reasons, but the loss of the financial and aristocratic elite of the British Empire, and alot of the big bankers from US, was one of the catalysts, what made the whole thing possible, to a very large extent. It's not a cause in of itself, not arguing that. But it did create the conditions what made it much more likely once the causes themselves where made manifest.
Mike you’re incredible. Thank you for this heartbreaking but incredible video.
Garrett you legend! Thanks mate, appreciate you!
@@OceanlinerDesigns no one has done a video on empress of Britain what exactly happened?
I know it sank but that’s about all I know
@@caledonianrailway1233 do you mean her Sister Ship or the Empress with 3 funnels?
@@OldShippinglines I dunno I think it was the sister ship I read it in a book and can’t find any info
My neighbour is retired from the the Salvation Army brass band. He makes sure people don't forget the Empress of Ireland disaster. For him it's personal, his uncle was in the band going to UK when he died in the collision and subsequent sinking.
as the sinking of Titanic is connected, according to the legend, with Nearer My God To Thee, the farewell to the Empress on her last voyage will forever be connected with the Salvation Army's God Be With You Till We Meet Again. Here the tune is eerily blended into the documentary, and it gives me chills. The Titanic may be the most famous shipwreck ever, but the story of the EoI is not less chilling, I would say even equally so.
Thank you for sharing this. I feel like crying over this and I don't cry easily. 😢
@@michaelafamfulikova1534 I hate everything gets tied to Titanic somehow
🙏🙏😥
Born and lived near the St. Lawrence all my life, and boated on it many, many times. It's savage, icy cold, with very strong currents, and always full of pleasurecraft and freighters. I heard about the Empress of Ireland sinking many years ago, and simply did not realize the scale of the disaster... This was amazing, haunting, and heartbreaking storytelling and imagery. This hit close to home...
Thanks for commenting, I'd love to visit there some day!
Me too! 1000 Islands Area of New York
I am Canadian, and I have heard the history of this tragedy before. This is the best researched, written, and presented documentary about the Empress of Ireland I have seen. Well done Mike and Crew, and thank you!
The reason that I feel that this disaster has not been treated like it deserves is that the people who died were just good everyday people - there wasn't an Astor, Straus, Guggenheim, or Countess of Rothes on the ship.
I agree, I know of the accident and, life of the ship, and legacy, however it was all learned from watching many different documentaries and videos, as well as literary research. This is the first I have seen to gather and bring so much information and detail about this topic. I am Canadian as well.
@@LJB103Titanic also took about a movie's length of time to sink, great to make a movie out of every 40 or 50 years to keep it a household name. Plus it was her maiden voyage, adding an "are you kidding me" bit.
@@nthgth True, but it only took 18 minutes for the Lusitania to sink and an hour for the Wilhelm Gusloff (with 9,343 deaths!). More to my point is what do most people remember about the Titanic: John Jacob Astor IV; Benjamin Guggenheim and his manservant getting dressed up; Ida Straus refusing to leave her husband Isadore; Margaret (never called Molly) Tobin Brown....(and maybe a few crew members). How many remember 2nd class passengers let alone steerage class? Most.if not all, aboard the Empress of Ireland would most likely have been 2nd class on the Titanic. I do suspect that many people do not know much, if anything, about the MV Wilhelm Gustloff either.
An amazing story of grief heartache and bravery. It doesn’t really matter who was at fault. Just how those poor people struggled to survive trying to get out of portholes in despair. I had never heard of this tragedy before the Titanic and the war overshadowed everything. Thank you so much for your documentary that was really researched well. It must have been harrowing and distressing for all involved. Thank you once again.
Mate... I love how you articulate, not only the event but the human struggle. Most focus on the ship itself, but you have wholistically given this tragedy so much more soul and depth.
As a writer, I salute you, Sir. 🫡
This seems so much worse than the Titanic, even though the loss of life is roughly the same size. It just went down so fast.
Our friend’s writing ability is exceptional, as is his delivery.
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017 Is it sadder than the SS Arctic disaster of 1854? Only 88 people survived out of 400+. Zero of the survivors were women or children.
@@Mark-in8ju I'm not sure I understand your point.
Mike, you told us a couple months ago that you planned to impress us, but this sir, is next level. From Oceanliner Illustrator, to teller of nautical tales, to this level of production quality - all in insanely short order. I am not impressed, I stand in awe. What you have accomplished here is astounding. Perhaps being raised in Québec and being familiar with this particular tale it hit close to home, but I was actually emotionally moved. Not even your always soothing voice could asuage the feeling of despair I felt for the fate of passengers and crew.
Pride in the quality of this production is absolutely warranted. Kudos kind sir, and my thanks.
It's not just because you're from Quebec. I don't live in Canada and I almost cried from this. The use of visuals and audio with his gentle voice was almost too much. But the video was so beautifully done I couldn't stop watching it!
Thanks so much, I honestly am always floored by the incredible feedback I get from comments and it makes everything myself and the team do so worthwhile. Thanks so much for watching!
@@OceanlinerDesigns and I hope you (and your team) blow TH-cam's view retention analytics out of the water!
_"Mike, you told us a couple months ago that you planned to impress us"_ Promise fully kept.
You can’t be serious with your blowing review 😂?!?! The things some people will say for attention is just pathetic
I love how in the video, the entire sinking sequence is done in 14min, just like the real sinking took 14min. It just goes to show how quickly it happened, and how much hurt in did in such a short amount of time.
Words honestly fail Me right now...
This has to be one of the most amazing documentaries I've ever watched, and not just on TH-cam. How you kept your voice so calm and even, is beyond Me.
You truly honor not just the Empress Of Ireland, but all those who perished that tragic day and even those who survived, as well as their families. Well done.
Such lovely kind words, thanks so much!
Indeed. I agree wholeheartedly
RIP to all 1,012 souls who lost their lives 109 years ago during the Sinking of RMS Empress of Ireland on May 29, 1914. May They Never Be Forgotten.
Thank you Mike for this amazing documentary. Keep up the great work.
I'm only 2 minutes in, and it's already clear this is going to be a masterful retelling of a story that deserves to be told more often.
Edit after watching: "There was just the quick, the lucky, and the dead." What a powerful phrase to capture the essence of the Empress tragedy. Well done, Mike.
As an Able Bodied Seaman stationed on a military vessel, I often find myself watching these scenes during my gangway watch. They evoke such powerful emotions that I sometimes find myself moved to tears. I can't help but hope that no one catches me in such a vulnerable state while on duty.
You’ve truly outdone yourself with this one Mike! Thank you for honoring all who were lost and the spirit of the ship itself. You really know how to tell a story in a way that is respectful to the subject, the victims, and the viewers as well. it’s fantastic. You’re one of the best channels on the platform imo. Great Job as always!
Absolutely!
You have an excellent voice for speaking and story telling!
Well done!
You just climb from strength to strength. Bravo again!
Agree, it's also the person who does the graphics. It's good enough for TV. Really impressive.
Ummmmmmm… this wasn’t the most boring thing you’ve ever heard…. In your entire life????? 😳
@@micdropfroggyface6466 I rather enjoyed it!
Somehow as a Canadian, I'd never heard of this tragedy. I was always interested in the Titanic and never even thought to look into other wrecks. What an incredible loss, and SO well presented in this video!
Not like their old technology was to blame it happens nowdays too costa concordia was sink hitting a small island in italy. A stupid tragedy but about 30 people died. And a few weeks ago a big fishing ship carrying about 700 persons was sink but only 100 were rescued in greece... the sea has it's dangers and secrets
@@juanmanumanudice8848the reason nobody talks about it is due to how many passengers it had and how little people died. 30 people out of 4229 is about 0.7% of passengers. Plus it was 100% with the amount of modern technology
@@juanmanumanudice8848. I didn’t hear about the ship in Greece! Will have to look it up
@@faithintheunseen1294yes, it’s soo sad! It happened around the time everyone was talking about the Titan, it was carrying refugees
There are villains to this tragedy! Our universe was made by computer code. Many people are to blame in making this AI. IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! And no one will stop it.
Wow, thank you for highlighting the heroic efforts that took place on board. They need to be recognized and not forgotten. Rest in peace to all those souls lost. Such a terrible tragedy.
I've gone from never having heard of it through to tears for it in 66 minutes. Masterfully told, and that the hymn was performed by a Salvation Army band didn't go unnoticed.
@opurrski wow, you're very good at using TH-cam for someone who must be more than 120 years old!
lol Must have found the fountain of youth. Nevermind... "steering commissioner"...@@Willow_Sky
@opurrskidumb...
Hi Mike.
This is an absolute masterpiece. Your incredible storytelling ability, obvious love of ships and the terrific graphics and editing have combined to create a film that puts 95% of the History Channel, Discovery Channel and BBC to shame. Thank you is grossly insufficient praise for you and your team. Long may you continue and thrive my friend. My deepest regards to you all.
Sometimes those channels can be real sh*t, can't they? And the graphics don't compare.
Indeed, Mike, I second Peter's statement above. This is a masterpiece of storytelling and spectacular graphical presentation!
Call it 100%
30:40 I'm pretty sure they looked back. I've lived by the St Lawrence River my whole life and no matter how many times i've seen a ship go by in my life, i am always fascinated and awed by them. We never get blasé of ships. And yes, i hear the horns blowing when the river is covered in fog. It's always special to me.
Perfectly said! Always stop what I’m doing to watch the ships 1000 Islands NY native here, now living in Colorado.
The best documentary I’ve seen so far about this disaster. Told with forensic details and human compassion. So beautifully edited that I was with those poor souls, trapped inside the Empress of Ireland and feeling the terror they must have felt, blind in the dark, in sideways corridor, engulfed by freezing water. Very emotional and enraged against all those series of unlucky circumstances that led to this terrible human tragedy. Thank you for reminding us about this sadly often forgotten sinking and most of all for honouring the memories of its victims.
I couldn't imagine being that captian, out in that fog, listening to all of the screams after I'd smashed into the side of the ship. The guilt, the horror, the panic of what to do.. I don't know that I'd be able to find the strength to go on living afterwards.
I can see where it sank from my parent’s beach house. When we were kids in the 80s and played by the beach we’d still find artifacts from the wreck every once in a while.
Did you take any?
What kinds of things did you find?
I second that, what did you find mate??🙏
Mostly silverware and my cousin found a broken tea cup once
@@JeffManseau so cool, cheers for getting back to us 🙏
Mike is a brilliant storyteller. I could listen to him all day long.
Especially when he's telling the story of famous people on board and their stories! Fascinating stuff.
As a Canadian, and Salvationist who played in my local Citadel Corp band, it's always touching and appreciated when this disaster is brought to greater public attention. Well done.
As usual, you've told a story that not only is about the ship, but the souls aboard her. And you've conveyed a small echo of the utter heartbreak that followed the loss of the Empress of Ireland and the people who were aboard. If tears are the ultimate compliment, consider yourself very well complimented Mr. Brady. Thank you.
Thankyou so much Jerry, this is the only video I've made where I was getting choked up during editing!
I cannot recall when last I saw so moving a programme. Until 9.00p.m. I knew not of the The Empress of Ireland or of her fate but now, due entirely to your incredibly moving film, I shall think often of the ship that was forgotten. May God be holding close the 1012 souls lost that night. Mr Brady, Thank You for telling an unknowing world of this tragic event.
No, not gonna lie it brought a tear to my eye to learn that the captain was going back out on the lifeboats to save his passengers
The only way I can describe this video is “epic.” Mike, this video looks like something produced by a major studio, but with heart. Your story telling, coupled with the visuals, music and facts make this video an absolute masterpiece. Hopefully your video will reach an unprecedented amount of views so the people who went through this tragedy will someday be remembered on a level equal to The Titanic and Lusitania.
did he animate all this
@@randomrazr I believe he has someone that does it for him.
...and yet the largest single loss of life at sea (The Wilhelm Gustloff) remains comparatively unknown to this day, which is strange to say the least.
@@salnaturile8653 thats cause it sank during war time. biggest loss yes, but it was jsut another causalty along with hundreds of other ships
@@randomrazr - 5 or 6 times the number of Titanic victims were lost on the WG, yet a majority of people never heard about it. War-time or not that's unusual I'd say. Perhaps it didn't fit the narrative the victors were trying to portray because it was a war-crime against non-combatants?
The first 3 minutes aka the introduction, where more terrifying then any horror movie I can think of. Just the screams and…you do such a good job of story telling.
Too often, we associate sinkings of these beautiful ocean liners with only the wreck and the disaster that caused it. It's so hard to associate ships like this with their original splendour and the stories that made that splendour possible. Thank you for opening my eyes to the Empress of Ireland's splendour before the terrible disaster that struck her and the 1,012 passengers that lost their lives that terrible, cold night.
Your ability to convey such a tragedy to someone with quite limited understanding of how a ship is designed and a lack of general maritime knowledge is something that i can only explain as majestic. I’ve watched many, many of your videos but this one, sir, is a masterpiece if I say so myself. It felt as though I was right there experiencing it myself, first hand. Good job buddy. The music, narration, animation and the content in general was simply perfect. I look forward to more masterpieces from this channel. You have always been very good st creating these types of videos but you are getting really good
Thanks so much for watching, Casey!
Mike, I learned about this, and I have never heard of the Empress of Ireland, and it was so sad that it was in the St. Lawrence River, so close to shore, but it just sank, and all those people passed away. Most people know about the Titanic, but I have never heard of the Empress of Ireland and I thank you for telling us about her. So tragic!!
This shipwreck is even more horrifying than the Titanic. Fewer people died, but it was a bigger percentage of the passengers than those who died on the Titanic and almost all the children died.
You aren’t wrong, the sheer speed that things went to shit completely cut any chance of the usual children and women first. Sounds like it was literally just if you could fill a lifeboat just send it immediately.
The location wasn’t as bad as the titanic tho. Was in a river only 5 miles from shore, far better for survival chances if you escape the ship than just being essentially in the middle of nowhere in the North Atlantic
@@brendan9868 It was also hard to launch the lifeboats due to the ship essentially rolling over on its starboard side. And like the North Atlantic, the water in the St. Lawrence River was below freezing. Anyone who fell in would have frozen to death in minutes.
how was it a bigger %?
@@mariahwhitneycelinejanetmadona 1,012 of the 1,447 passengers on the Empress of Ireland died, which is equal to roughly 69%. Roughly 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers on the Titanic died, or roughly 68%.
@@galacticknight55544Effectively the same, but terrible either way. I can’t bring myself to even try to imagine.
I watched the 14 minute animation before seeing this. That was well done but this full version is many times more frightening and deeply affecting. I only knew the barest outlines of the disaster before and that seems remiss of me. Thank you for giving the Empress and everyone involved a heart-felt memorial.
Thanks so much for watching Louis :)
Empress no more, but Noah's Spirit with them.
This was extremely compelling to listen to. Hell, the last ten minutes as you went over the survivors and what they did even started to make me tear up. Amazing pacing too, the 30 minute build-up to the disaster painted an amazing image of a wonderful ship I'd have loved to travel on, and when disaster struck I felt only dread as it all started to be destroyed. Excellent video.
This video is a masterpiece. I've known about this disaster for years, but this documentary really explains everything clearly and respectfully. Mike you have a gift and a future in voice overs or broadcasting in general. Keep up the great work.
Thanks, Mike for an incredible video. My wife and I have approximately seven dives on the Empress. Definitely not for the timid. Absolutely frigid water even in early September (35 to 38 F). On our second series of dives the visibility was only approximately four feet. It was incredible diving on a wreck that is so filled with tragic history. The worst maritime disaster in Canada's history and so few Canadians know about it. Could not help saying a prayer for the victims while diving the wreck. May all their souls rest in peace.
Amazing! I'd be terrified to dive I think, kudos and congrats to you and your wife!
Thank you for your respect and reverence for those who went down with the ship. But then, how could a person not give respects when visiting a gravesite tho I'm sure many do. Anyhoo, thanks.
"May you all rest in peace, as I use your resting place as a tourist destination"
@@tylerblalack6684hope you've never walked through a cemetery mate
That ship was carrying heroes. I'm so sad, but documentaries like you keep their deeds alive.
As soon as I got to the part where the fog rolled in and the ship was brought to a stop, I was wondering why the watertight doors weren’t closed preemptively.
I’m the captain of an airliner, and the instant that things start to become non standard, we begin preparing for a worst case scenario, and taking precautionary measures to mitigate what might happen next. I often tell my junior crew members, “Every decision we make and action we take has to keep in mind the worst case scenario. How will this affect us if we are in a field somewhere with smoke filling the cabin?”
I know that a ship is an entirely different beast, but Cpt. Kendall could have alerted his crew to possible danger and had everyone ready. If they had missed in the end, everyone would have merely breathed a sigh of relief and gone back to their normal activities.
But I say that with the benefit of the collective knowledge of hundreds of years of nautical experience.
Fantastic video, as always.
Lord hear us as we cry to thee, for those in peril on the sea.
I'm with you there. The moment it became crystal clear that we were not going to get out of their way, I would have immediately had the watertight doors closed, especially given that it took 3 minutes to close them in the best of conditions.
Indeed, if you're going to stop your ship due to those circumstances (and, I presume, are worried about running aground too) then have those doors shut just in case.
@@randomlyentertaining8287 It was literal seconds between, "oh, they're going to hit us" and the impact. The captain of the Empress hoped that Storstad would remain in place long enough for them to close the water-proof doors but the Storstad was pulled away immediately and the damage was so extensive and the water pressure so intense that any attempts to close the doors were fruitless, if they were attempted.
This incident and others like it is why on modern cruise ships those doors are closed by default.
@redshirt49
Recently, I watched a video on a channel of a cruise ship employee and they mentioned that normally the watertight doors are closed, but that day (can’t remember why) they were open for a brief time and he could go down a hallway that was normally not accessible from his location.
@@dominaevillae28 Ah yeah the scotland road, almost all ships has one for access during maintenance
A ship that size going down in less than 15 minutes is horrifying, let alone in one of the worst ways possible by immediately capsizing.
It sank as fast as I initially thought the Titanic had. I was floored that ships could take hours to sink. At least with the Titanic there was enough time for passengers to put on their life jackets. There was’t even enough time to send out a distress signal with the Empress of Ireland.
@@m.j.mbrooks1859 This and Lusitania make Titanic genuinely the preferable sinking in terms of "If I had to survive one". I'll take hyperthermia to being crushed by lifeboats, or being trapped in the dark.
OMG this was scarier then Tom Lynskey and team's On A Sea Of Glass Titanic animation.
The shots of the ship capsizing onto her starboard side in both the interior and exterior all just reminded me of The Poseidon Adventure.
The big flaw in her design was the insane size of her boiler rooms, situated in two compartments which were both penetrated by Storstads bow. Combined these two compartments occupied one third of the ships hull, so allowing unchecked flooding in such a large space doomed her to drop like a rock
For that to happen, those boiler rooms must have had a common bulkhead. If they had been sub-divided and separated, this might not have happened. However, the collision likely broke her keel, there would have been nothing the crew could have done to prevent those compartments from flooding.
The watertight doors were also manually controlled. But all of this is in hindsight.
@@taraswertelecki3786 if watertight doors were all closed before impact. would that have saved the empress
Much like a destroyer in either of the two World Wars being hit in the machinery spaces by a torpedo, the Empress was hit in the worst possible place that was virtually unsurvivable, particularly if the impression that the inquiry gathered was correct (that Storstad probably collided right at the bulkhead dividing the boiler rooms, demolishing it).
Luck is a funny thing eh?
I’m from Montreal, but I spent a lot of time in Rimouski. There is actually a museum/memorial for the Empress of Ireland there.Thank you for bringing to light this forgotten tragedy!
Beautiful music and very excellently done. Almost as many people were killed in this tragedy as the Titanic but you never hear about it. I had never heard about it until I watched your video but I thank you so much. It is making me cry.
Me too! 😢
Damn, this scenario was far worse than the rather calm sinking of the Titanic. Worse than the foundering of Lusitania even. I had read about this, but never realised the true extend of the disaster and death it brought. I truly shuddered at the thought of what this might have been like. Awesome job dude.
honestly after seeing so many ship wrecks, i'll always be surprised by how calm and graceful the titanic was. it went out in music. many ships need only less than 30 minutes, but titanic, being older, still held on. i'm surprised
There actually was a man who both survived the Titanic AND then the Empress, apparently he compared the Titanic's sinking to a baby calmy going to sleep while the Empress rolled over like a pig in a mudd pen.
Dear Mike, what a moving documentary. Finally, the tragic story of the Empress of Ireland has been told, and how! The First World War and then time affronted the unfortunate victims by forgetting the hell of their last minutes of life. This injustice, thanks to you and your wonderful passion for ocean liners, has just been corrected. Now the world knows forever.
Your narration. The visuals. The audio. So beautifully woven together. Had me weeping for these people. For the lives that were stolen from them, and the horror that they must've faced.
What a horrible ordeal those poor souls had to endure. R.I.P. to all those who lost their lives on the Empress of Ireland. A very fitting tribute Mike. Well done 👏
C'mon people, how about throwing a few more likes for this masterpiece. Mike's done an extraordinary job with this. Absolutely amazing video and brought a tear to the eye by the ending.
As a Navy Veteran I can attest to how dark it is at Sea, so dark that even a small lit cigarette can be seen from very far away by a trained eye and viewing equipment (Was actually a no no to be above decks at night smoking or otherwise using a light). To navigate unfamiliar passageways in the pitch blackness is nigh impossible and can only be done by feel, not knowing which hatch provides the exit or another room would be certain doom. Stopping the Ship is not really an option and was a strange choice, most Ships would reduce to 1/3 or even 1/2 in orderto maintain adequate steering and an emergency call for full or flank speeds could be attained much faster than from a dead stop.
The part where the Empress is leaving has my mind running wild.
To imagine the farewells, the calling out over the hissing of steam, sound of the sea birds. The trundling of feet on deck and smell of lit tobacco in the air.
The scene would have been surreal.
You capture these moments eloquently. It keeps the memory of those lost alive. Thank you for providing me this experience.
Stellar work. Cheers.
As a seafarer myself, I have the utmost respect for you for how you've told this hugely tragic story. God bless mate.
This was another sad tragic story. Only 2 years after the loss of Titanic. RIP all of those poor men, women, children xx
What a story! I thoroughly enjoy this channel. It’s so easy to hear of a ship sinking, and think of just the ship itself, but it’s the human stories and moments that make it devastatingly beautiful. The compassion, strength, selflessness, resilience.. humility in almost certain death.
Thank you for bringing these moments in history to life.
It's haunting to believe that this ship is truly a headstone with countless people still trapped inside. Sounds like a truly horrific event.
Has anyone dived down there ??
@@LUCIANALOVESGOD Did you watch the video...?
thank you for bringing this piece of history to light. it would so easily be buried beneath the events of world war and forgotten by time. truly appreciate what you've done.
For anyone interested in the last known survivor. I googled it while listening to this:
"Edith Grace Martyn (nee Hanagan May 16, 1907 - May 15, 1995) was the youngest and last survivor of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland on May 29, 1914. She was one of four children (out of the 138 children on board) who survived the sinking." One day shy of turning 88. Rip Edith.
I believe she is the child who was on her bed and when the other ship crashed she ended up in the hull or on the deck of the other ship still in her bed.
@@unchargedpickles6372really!!
@@unchargedpickles6372 She was not. She was fished out of the water by a lifeboat almost exclusively filled with men.
@@unchargedpickles6372 That's Linda Morgan from the Andrea Doria.
@@unchargedpickles6372 is she end up on the deck still in bed dam that girl as some of the best luck...
This is one the most excellent shipwreck documentaries Ive ever seen, bar none. I've been fascinated by wrecks ever since I was small child, but this is one of the very few looks at these tragedies that have moved me to tears. Well done, please keep up the good work.
God rest these poor souls. My Dad reminded me of the tragedy of the Empress and I thank God he did. Such a terrible tragedy forgotten by history. Thank you Mike, for doing this ship the right kind of goodbye and tribute.
Your videos are comparable to a Hollywood production, yet you convey the upmost respect & compassion for the victims lost in each tragedy you cover. There's a fine line between telling a story & sensationalizing it for personal benefit yet post after post you do it effortlessly.
Thank you for the time, effort & creativity you put into your videos. Its greatly appreciated, Mike!!❤
Could not agree more!
Upmost?
Holy fucking shit this makes Titanic look like a pleasant childhood memory
You have outdone yourself. This is truly world class work. The CGI really helps tell the story. It must have been a huge job. Thank you.
Thanks so much for that and thanks for watching :)
Have you followed the SS Arctic disaster? That one is even more heartbreaking. No woman or child survived mainly because of the actions of dishonorable men on board.
Wow! That is the first I have heard of that sinking. Multiple errors in judgement were made by the command of the SS Arctic.
A simply fantastic video, Mike. It is truly sad that the Empress does not get as much recognition as Lusitania or Titanic. I have seen a few documentaries on her, and this was one of the best. You keep improving and will one day rival the National Geographic.
I think he already has
He already does. ❤
He is already above them. The only thing National Geographic talks about these days is their own opinion.
A sinking of any ship is horrible, considering the fate of the victims. Your account brings us to the very minute of time. Thank you so much. It puts feelings and a face on those involved
This was so well done. This documentary was chilling in so many ways. Rest in peace those who lost their lives.
man, you deserve every bit of praise you’re getting in these comments. what a beautifully made documentary!! coming from someone who only ever did research on the titanic’s story but you had me absolutely enthralled from beginning to end. incredible work, my friend.
i also particularly loved the inclusion of the actual hymn “God be with you til we meet again”. everyone in my family learned that song in kindergarten and we sang it to both my grandparents as they passed. it’s a gorgeous old hymn passed down from generations and hearing it in an arrangement they probably heard aboard the Empress is so incredibly surreal. thanks so much for including that.
you’re an incredible storyteller and i hope you’re very proud of this video, because you should be. you’ve totally earned a new sub!
It's so lovely you have a personal connection that hymn! It is a lovely melody and the message is very powerful!
These documentaries are very well made, with music which always seems appropriate and not intrusive.
Ralph Vaughan Williams composed a lovely tune for the same words. It's in the English Hymnal, for which he was Musical Editor.
I did a TH-cam search for it, but all the few performances it found are of the older tune.
Hymnary would have it though, in a page scan.
The EH has a section titled For Those At Sea.
Other hymns which could be appropriate for documentaries such as this are Abide With Me, with the famous Monk tune Eventide, and Eternal Father Strong To Save, with the Dykes tune Melita, which is in that section of the EH.
Many recordings of those on TH-cam, including hundreds of Abide With Me although very few of those are good.
I made a list of some of the good ones though, for reference.
Keep up the good work Mike.
This is what I love YT for. National Geopraphic could learn from you how to make documentaries. Great video. While ship was sinking, I felt true terror. While the video was about the aftermath, I felt true sadness. No words to explain how incredible this video is. Cheers to you Mike and all other creators involved into this project ❤ You guys made it incredibly great.
I truly hope that the passengers that were asleep in their rooms, in the area where they were hit did not feel any pain! Such a horrible tragedy
This is your greatest video yet, and it’s a great topic. Empress of Ireland is forgotten, despite her passengers having a lower rate of survival compared to that of the Titanic. Her demise is tragic, and so is the tremendous loss of life. Thank you for covering this as seriously as you could. Also, if you haven’t already, I’d suggest you read Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. It is less about the ships involved,and more about Mr. Crippen, His Life, Why he did the murder, and how radio helped him get captured on his near escape to Canada.
Did you ever hear of the DNA analysis that was done on the body they claim was his wife Cora? It wasn't her.
You are a great storyteller. I was unaware of the tragic loss of life or the story of the wreck. Its within 400 miles of my residence in the US. Rowald Ferguson the wireless operator was indeed a hero.
Mike, this is BEYOND AMAZING!!!!! I am so proud of you and everyone who worked on this masterpiece! Empress of Ireland’s story needs to be remembered, and you did just that in a phenomenal animation! You’ve really captured the terrifying aspects of a sinking ship! I got chills during some scenes! Well done!!!!!
I live about 40 minutes from the wreck. I am well aware of her existence. After the disaster, people looted bodies that washed ashore, there was people that stole gold teeth, rings and other jewelry off the corpses stored at the Rimouski harbor. Several divers died diving to her. One of the first divers that went down to visit her some weeks after the sinking was walking on the port side and was seeing corpses floating against the portholes of the ship from the bow to stern.
The old recordings of the voices yelling are great, amazing how some one got them.
As a salvationist myself, and also a Canadian, this tragedy continues to be talked about and continues to hit home for many of us. The Canadian staff band of today continues to pay tribute to those who were lost in this tragedy (as we should). Thank you for including their story in this video.
When I was young, I definitely recall reading about the Empress of Ireland after knowing about the events of the Titanic & the Lusitania. The sinking of the Empress is high up there in terms of a major maritime disaster, and for decades, I have been hoping that someone would give the grand old lady a real proper detailed & respectful documentary that honors those who died & the lucky ones to survive who were there in late May 1914. Thank you, Mike, for this amazing video. Greetings from the USA
Although very familiar with the Empress' story already, I shed tears watching this. Mike, you and your team have produced the definitive recounting of this heartbreaking tragedy; the human cost- hopes and dreams snuffed out, from comfort to death within minutes. The graphics are a visual masterpiece - the night scenes have an ethereal beauty which must have been very challenging to render.
Many congratulations, and many many thanks for giving this event the recognition it has always deserved. RIP all those who perished, and all those who were left behind, to somehow rebuild their lives.
Thanks so much Mark!
Brilliantly done. As a Canadian and a history buff I have read more than one book on this tragedy. Your visuals bring the event to life and I feel the sadness of those people so long ago who were involved in a way that no written word could. You have done a great service to Canadian history. This kind of telling of a story is a rarity on You Tube and other media sites. You may have set a new standard.
Man, the image of people struggling to escape through narrow portholes on a sideways sinking ship is a thing that gave such an awful sensation...
How desperate of a situation it was for the people outside trying to help, not to say for those poor souls trapped inside the ship 😨😔
This is such a well made documentary and tribute to those who were lost in that tragedy. The text and visual are insanely good. Thank you, Michael and everyone involved.
Rimouski native here, I have been obsessed with the Empress for as long as I can remember. I was initially fascinated by the Titanic, and my mom told me we had our own Titanic in the region. She took me to the Musée de la mer in Pointe-au-Père, and I have been visiting the Empress Memorial yearly since. Thank you for bringing her story to light and contributing to her not sinking into oblivion.
May they rest in peace
My grandfather's sister sailed to Canada on the Empress of Ireland, in about 1907, as a governess.
She never came back. In the 1980s I met my Canadian cousins, we have been friends across the ocean ever since.
This was a truly impressive piece of storytelling, and a fitting tribute to the victims. Bravo Mike, great job!
Wow, Mike, this is one of your best works to this day!
Factual to the core and heartfelt at the same time with no unduly (over)dramatization whatsoever.
Just a perfect documentary.
A worthy monument to all who had to endure this horrible event, alive or dead.
This is so good!! I’ve been a fellow ship disaster enthusiast for the past decade and your videos are so informative and professional, yet still have a personal touch that makes them better than most studio documentaries. I rlly wish I found your videos more than just a month ago. Keep up the great work!
Just the amount work needed to produce something like this. I’ve paid $10+ for many documentaries & movies that simply don’t compare to this.
@@jamesm3471 ikr
Fantastic work Mike, an amazing tribute. The models and visuals are amazing, and the music hit just right. Well done, I'm really glad I found your channel recently.
Mike, you and your team made an extraordinary work. Just... I can't find words to describe how excellent it is. Not only in the visual and emotional aspects, but in the professionalism you dealt the story.
Indeed, an absolutely horrendous tragedy.
God Bless all the souls onboard the Empress or Ireland on May 29, 1914 (109 years ago exactly) 🙏🏼
A beautiful eulogy to those who lost their lives in this nearly forgotten peacetime tragedy. My thanks goes to all involved in this documentary's production. Thinking of how those trapped in the hull coped with the knowledge of their deaths reminds me of the events in Pearl Harbor and the men aboard the USS Arizona. Again, thank you all involved for sharing the Empress's story or her life and death in the St. Lawrence. She will be remembered by those who keep her memory alive.
So many souls lost to the metal bulkheads designed to keep the water out of harms way… may they rest in peace
Your story telling, production value and research is top notch. Thank you for all your hard work in the telling of this tragic tale.
OMG Mike. What an amazing work of art. You are an incredible story teller and the visuals puts one right there in that river. Thank you so much for such a profound video. You were made to do this. Please continue.
Thanks so much Dianna :)
Production value of this is insane
You should win a award for this one well done
An excellent piece of work Mike on a horrifying event on our Canadian history. My wife's mother is believed to have arrived in Canada on board the Empress of Britain so this documentary is very close to home. Well done sir - thanks!
I'd never heard of this particular disaster before, but you told the tale spectacularly and with so much humanity and compassion. The background info and context really helps drive the point home that these were all people. Ordinary, extraordinary, good people, and it really makes your heart go out to them knowing their undeserved fate and that they'd never see home.
RIP to all of the victims of this wreck.
I had never heard of the Empress of Ireland until I read a book by Clive Cussler. I had not thought about this ship until I saw this video. Mike fantastic work of bringing this lost tragedy to light for so many.
The Book called Night Probe. It’s the 5 book in The Dirk Pitt Series
Never knew about this disaster until now. May the 1,012 sounds rest in peace. Stunning job as usual, Mike.
I’m not even mad that this great documentary is an hour long. It is completely worth while to watch it.
I don’t think I’ve ever watched a full hour long video on TH-cam before. Thank you so much Mike and team for this remarkable documentary.
Between the story telling which was totally enthralling, and the graphics and animation which was masterful, this was amazing and heart breaking. This is a wonderful and respectful telling of this awful human tragedy and, although I am in tears, I want to thank you for this 💔🧡
What an exceptional documentary and video. Rich in detal and totally compelling. Mike, you are an exquisite story teller and historian; first class in fact.
I've often thought about how horrible it would be to navigate through the Titanic as it sank and filled with water but it was obviously a slow sinking compared to the Empress; I can't even fathom what it must have been like for anyone trying to get out of the depths of this ship and away from the rushing water. I especially appreciate the video/animation because it makes it so much more "real" and easier to understand just how violent she was hit and how awful it must have been for the people on board.
Excellent video, by the way, very well researched and detailed!
I'm always amazed by how beautiful these liners are, there's a lost elegance to the early 20th century designs that we just don't see anymore.
The closest I've been to having the pleasure of being out at sea was when I went whale watching, just off the coast of my beloved Oregon. There's always been something about the ocean that's fascinated me since I was a boy.
Thank you for this thoroughly researched documentary about one of the most largely forgotten tragedies on the waves.