On April 10, 1912, the steamship "Titanic" set sail on its first and last voyage from the port of Southampton, giving a long whistle. On board were representatives of various nations, including Russians, who were sailing to the shores of the New World. According to British archive data, 52 people with Russian passports were registered on the ship. However, there may have been more Russians, as the exact passenger lists sank with the vessel. Fortunately, among the survivors were several of our compatriots.

An incredible story occurred with 24-year-old Mikhail Kuchiev, who, according to his daughter, lived in Russia in the North Caucasus and went to America to "earn for a wife, a house, and a horse." He was traveling in third class. He was saved by food poisoning: the day before, he had eaten something spoiled and felt unwell closer to night. Mikhail went out on deck to breathe the frosty air and found that all the doors were locked, and there was noise above. Together with other passengers, he broke down a door and went up. What he saw shocked him: officers were hastily lowering lifeboats, people were running and screaming around, children were crying, and horns were blaring loudly. A steward running by shoved a life jacket at him and ran on. Kuchiev made his way to a lifeboat, but they were only allowing women and children in. At 2:10 AM, water began to flood the deck, and Kuchiev jumped into the icy sea. He managed to grab onto a piece of debris. Soon, he pulled a struggling girl onto his makeshift raft.

After the crash, on the ship "Carpathia," a crying woman was running around the deck, looking for someone. They tried to speak to her in English, Italian, and German. It turned out that she was a Russian peasant whose son-in-law, daughter, and granddaughter had drowned.