The luxury liner Titanic leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage

Researchers claim the virtually identical liners were switched the weekend before the “Titanic’s” maiden voyage and Olympic was deliberately sunk to save the White Star Line from financial ruin. Another ship, the Californian, was supposed to rendezvous with the “Titanic” and rescue all on board. However, a navigating error saw the “Titanic” hit an iceberg 12 miles from their Atlantic meeting point and go down without the Californian being alerted, with the deaths of 1,517. A new documentary, Titanic – The Shocking Story, alleges the government helped cover up one of the greatest frauds in maritime history because it needed the company’s liners for troop transporters during the looming First World War. Three months after Olympic’s maiden voyage in 1911 it had collided with HMS Hawke off Southampton. Olympic was holed on its starboard side exactly where “Titanic” hit an iceberg six months later.

Information we used is in essence material that is in the public domain and a matter of public record David Davenport, who instigated the investigation,

Insurers refused to pay for Olympic’s £500,000 repair because an inquiry cleared the Navy vessel of wrongdoing. The White Star Line could not afford the repairs so the liner was patched up but would not have passed its next safety inspection. The documentary claims that J Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, and its owner JP Morgan, who faced ruin, decided to switch Olympic for the Titanic before its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Shipyard workers were apparently paid to change the names on the two vessels and on life rafts and life jackets. Images of the sunken ship, from 2006, showed two letters of the Titanic name plate had fallen off, revealing an M and P engraved beneath.

Evidence pointing to a conspiracy includes the fact that more than 50 Titanic passengers cancelled their bookings at the last minute. Among them were its owner and the chairman’s wife. Surviving crew had to sign the Official Secrets Act, and Harold Sanderson, from shipbuilder Harland and Wolff, repeatedly referred to Titanic as Olympic at the British inquiry. The White Star Line usually insured its vessels for 75 per cent of value, $10million each, but increased it a week before the “Titanic” voyage. The company received $12.5million five days after the ship sank. David Davenport, who instigated the investigation, said: “Information we used is in essence material that is in the public domain and a matter of public record.”