The Titanic & The Taiping

The Titanic being included on this list shouldn't come as a surprise. The British passenger ship sailed from Southampton to New York on its maiden trip on April 10, 1912. There were barely enough lifeboats on board for half of the passengers and crew when it drowned on April 15 after hitting an iceberg. As a result, more than 1,500 people perished in the catastrophe.

But because you already know the majority of what there is to know about the Titanic, let's talk about the Taiping, an Asian steamer that came very near to meeting its demise. Because of its high death toll—more than 1,500 passengers and crew members perished on January 27, 1949, when the Taiping sank after colliding with a smaller cargo boat—it is frequently referred to as the "Titanic of the East."

Thousands of mainland Chinese refugees were trying desperately to reach Taiwan when the Taiping, like the Kiangya, was sailing during the Chinese Civil War. The ship was carrying more than 1,500 people even though it was only intended to carry 500 or so passengers. It was cruising in silence at night without lights in an effort to avoid alerting Taiwan's Communist authorities as it made its way to Keelung Harbor. Unfortunately, because other ships couldn't see it, it struck the Chienyuan, killing all but 37 of the passengers.

Date: The Titanic: April 10, 1912; The Taiping: January 27, 1949

Deaths: The Titanic: over 1,500 ; The Taiping: over 1,500