John Jacob Astor’s Fatal Mistake

[Encyclopedia Titanica]

John Astor could have been a survivor had he stepped into lifeboat seven when given the opportunity...... Voyage Tue, 13 Apr 2021

John Jacob Astor’s Fatal Mistake

John Astor could have been a survivor had he stepped into lifeboat seven when given the opportunity...

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[Arun Vajpey]

Third party hindsight is an odd thing because it changes the perspective of the event in question. Considering it from Col Astor's point of view, given his situation (the social ostracism after he married Madeline), he probably did not want to make it worse by getting into an early lifeboat. This would have been especially true because at about 12:40 am, when Lifeboat #7 was about to be lowered, like many other passengers Astor was probably in two minds whether the Titanic was going to sink at all.