HMHS Britannic

HMHS Britannic

Coordinates: 37°42′05″N 24°17′02″E / 37.70139°N 24.28389°E / 37.70139; 24.28389 HMHS Britannic was the third and largest Olympic-class ocean liner of the White Star Line. She was the sister ship of RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic, and was intended to enter service as a transatlantic passenger liner. She was launched just before the start of the First World War and was laid up at her builders in Belfast for many months before being put to use as a hospital ship in 1915. In that role she was shaken by an explosion, caused either by a torpedo or an underwater mine, in the Kea Channel off the Greek island of Kea on the morning of 21 November 1916, and sank with the loss of 30 lives.

There were a total of 1,066 people on board, with 1,036 survivors taken from the water and lifeboats, about two hours after the ship sank at 9:07 am. The Britannic was the largest ship lost during the First World War.