Last Voyage of the Lusitania

Why did Germany torpedo the Lusitania, a civilian vessel? And why did such an enormous ship sink so fast? Now, take a high-tech plunge beneath the Irish Channel and relive one of the century's most mysterious maritime tragedies: The date is May 7, 1915, just nine months into World War I. A German U-boat torpedoes the Lusitania – one of the largest and fastest luxury liners in the world. Of the 1,959 people aboard, including millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt, nearly two-thirds will die. Many are trapped inside the great ship as she sinks in just eighteen minutes.

Survivors recount the mysterious, massive second blast following the torpedo hit. Was the Lusitania carrying a secret cargo of high explosives from the neutral U.S. for Britain? Some think so, but explorer and scientist Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of R.M.S. Titanic and the German battleship Bismarck, has doubts. Join the great undersea detective on a classic National Geographic adventure, as he probes the sunken liner in a two-person mini-sub for clues that could rewrite history.

Product Information
Standard version
Run Time: Approx. 59 mins
Release Date: 1994

DVD Special Features
Bonus Programs: Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria and the Making of Lusitania