I'm really new at this but I'm going to give this a shot.
The Mackay-Bennett recovered 121 dead. 1517 went into the sea, granted some went literally "down with the ship"....but why were so few recovered. Even if every one in the life boats had a life vest on, plus the 121 recovered.....there had to be more bodies needing to be recovered than 121....what happened to them? Was there other ships who picked up the dead? Have any lifevests ever been found by ship or on shore?
If anyone has any info...please let me know ..TY Forcean

Forcean,
Welcome to the group.
Now as far as I know there were lifevests for all passengers. As you stated there were 705 survivors, 1,523 perished in the sinking.
The Mackay-Bennett found 306 bodies of which 116 were buried at sea. The Minia recovered only 17 bodies, The Montmagny picked up 4 bodies and lastly the Algerine picked up James McGrady the last body to be recovered.
Those bodies that were too damaged in the tragedy were buried at sea.

[quote:561fb2a2e8="Betty"]Forcean,
Welcome to the group.
Now as far as I know there were lifevests for all passengers. As you stated there were 705 survivors, 1,523 perished in the sinking.
The Mackay-Bennett found 306 bodies of which 116 were buried at sea. The Minia recovered only 17 bodies, The Montmagny picked up 4 bodies and lastly the Algerine picked up James McGrady the last body to be recovered.
Those bodies that were too damaged in the tragedy were buried at sea.[/quote:561fb2a2e8]

Now, what exactly does "too damaged" mean???

A special Thank You to Betty
This subject has really been bothering me lately and I'm not sure why but it's good to know that there were more recovered than 121.....I was told the Mackay-Bennett only recovered 121 so the correction is appreciated. Any other info on this would be appreciated Forcean

JB,
I think "too damaged" probably means there was no way they could be identified. Like no papers, personal items, body in such a bad shape from either the water or decomposed or no clothing that could tell what class or whether passener or crew. I am just guessing here, so I will have to do some research on that

That would be what I would guess too...but I was just wondering if you actually knew it off the top of your head. If you do fine anything about it, it would be greatly appreciated!

I'm truely grateful that I have found you all. When I get questions about the Titanic, or any other disaster, I get told that I'm obsessing over something that I can't control. I don't see it so much as obsessing as it is being determined to find some answers. Which ya'll have helped me to do and I love your comradery. I'm glad you are out there. Blessed Be to all of you

If you're obsessing, I think the lot of us are in trouble. This isn't an obsession, it's interest in an unusual subject. Don't worry about those people, everyone here has heard some version of that attitude, you're in good company. :wink:

I found this in "Titanic Remembered"page 28 to answer your question on why some bodies were buried at sea.
Only 125 coffins had been brought and embalming supplies for 70 persons were available. The decision was made to bury many bodies at sea, those that could not be identified from their personal effects, such as pocket contents, letters, tickets, initials on their clothing and so on, and occasionally those who could not be embalmed because of injuries received in the sinking were committed to the deep.

So it seems IMO that most were buried at sea because they could not be identified but a lot were buried at sea because of a low supply of coffins and embalming fluid?

Thanks on the "obsession" relief lol I was just told once that there were no bodies found of the dead....I live in a small city where we have a green belt, a grandmother in Utah stole a child...not yet even 2....even though there was nothing here for her, she came, we have a tributary off of the Snake River. Acacias grandma let her slip and the child went into the water. For 2 weeks there was a search for her, divers, dogs. they had shut down the turbines of a small plat we have. The kid has never been found. She was highlighted on Montel's show 2 weeks ago when Sylvia Browne was on and Sylvia insists that Acacia is at the bottom of the river caught in the silt.......honestly I'm having a hard time knowing that baby could be caught down there....her diaper is what got me thinking about the missing soul of the wreck again...Acacia has a disposible on and though it may not have saved her it would have added bouyancy to the body............hence, where are all the dead from the Titanic and where are the lifevests? So I don't think I'm obsessed, I just want to know where dead people are and how they got there.....weird, but, ya'll will soon realize I'm kinda weird anyway. Thanks again for the help and support Forcean