How many people died because the Titanic sank ?
In accordance with accepted practices of the time , where ships were seen as largely unsinkable and lifeboats were intended to transfer passengers to nearby rescue vessels , " Titanic " only had enough lifeboats to carry about half of those on board ; if the ship had carried her full complement of about 3,339 passengers and crew , only about a third could have been accommodated in the lifeboats .