5. USS Californian
The distress call from the Titanic failed to reach the USS Californian, an American vessel which was closer. The crew of the Californian had warned Titanic’s crew of the ice and turned off their engines for the night to avoid disaster. They were only miles away, close enough to see the lights of Titanic flicker off. They also saw flares but didn’t know what the flares meant. The Californian crew attempted to reach the Titanic by Morse code, but there was no reply. Afterward, that crew would come under heavy scrutiny for their inaction. Karma eventually caught up with the Californian. Three years later, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the Californian.