<P> The remaining boats were filled much closer to capacity and in an increasing rush . No. 11 was filled with five people more than its rated capacity . As it was lowered, it was nearly flooded by water being pumped out of the ship . No. 13 narrowly avoided the same problem but those aboard were unable to release the ropes from which the boat had been lowered . It drifted astern, directly under No. 15 as it was being lowered . The ropes were cut in time and both boats made it away safely . </P> <P> The first signs of panic were seen when a group of passengers attempted to rush port - side lifeboat No. 14 as it was being lowered with 40 people aboard . Fifth Officer Lowe, who was in charge of the boat, fired three warning shots in the air to control the crowd without causing injuries . No. 16 was lowered five minutes later . Among those aboard was stewardess Violet Jessop, who would repeat the experience four years later when she survived the sinking of one of Titanic's sister ships, Britannic, in the First World War . Collapsible boat C was launched at 01: 40 from a now largely deserted area of the deck, as most of those on deck had moved to the stern of the ship . It was aboard this boat that White Star chairman and managing director J. Bruce Ismay, Titanic's most controversial survivor, made his escape from the ship, an act later condemned as cowardice . </P> <P> At 01: 45, lifeboat No. 2 was lowered . While it was still at deck level, Lightoller had found the boat occupied by men who, he wrote later, "weren't British, nor of the English - speaking race...(but of) the broad category known to sailors as' dagoes' ." After he evicted them by threatening them with his revolver, he was unable to find enough women and children to fill the boat and lowered it with only 25 people on board out of a possible capacity of 40 . John Jacob Astor saw his wife off to safety in No. 4 boat at 01: 55 but was refused entry by Lightoller, even though 20 of the 60 seats aboard were unoccupied . </P> <P> The last boat to be launched was collapsible D, which left at 02: 05 with 25 people aboard; two more men jumped on the boat as it was being lowered . The sea had reached the boat deck and the forecastle was deep underwater . First - class passenger Edith Evans gave up her place in the boat, and ultimately died in the disaster . She was one of only four women in first class to perish in the sinking . Captain Smith carried out a final tour of the deck, telling the radio operators and other crew members: "Now it's every man for himself ." </P>

How big was the ice berg that hit the titanic