Titanic's sinking remains one of the most tragic and emblematic events in the history of navigation. As we know more details of this tragedy, it is also important to remember the stories behind the names on the passenger list.
From famous passengers to anonymous workers, each person aboard the Titanic had a story to tell. In this case we will focus on the history of the only Mexican who approached the ship and his incredible history of heroism.
More than a century ago, during the night of April 14 to 15, 1912, the Wreakers of Titanic took the lives of approximately 1,500 people. Many of them succumbed to drowning in frost waters, while others faced hypothermia.
In addition, an unknown number of people were lost in the chaotic evacuation, and due to the lack of life ships, only around 700 people managed to survive this unprecedented tragedy. Despite the media and importance of the event, today there is still no precise record of the identity and number of victims who died on that fateful night.
The majestic Titanic ship left Southampton on its inaugural trip to New York. However, on the night of the fourth day on the high seas, a disastrous encounter with a huge iceberg occurred in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The impact was devastating, causing a series of collisions that opened several plates under the flotation line, which led to a rapid flood of the ship.
Over two and a half hours, the Titanic gradually sank while the passengers were evacuated in the lifeboats available on board. Unfortunately, only enough boats for half of the passengers had been planned, which meant that the loss of lives was inevitable from the early stages of the accident. As the ship leaned towards an inexorable destination, the acts of heroism and survival were intertwined to form a tragic story that shocked and continues to do it despite the years.
On board the Titanic were some of the richest passengers of British and American society, along with hundreds of immigrants who yearned to start a new life in North America.
It was identified that Manuel Uruchurtu Ramírez was the only Mexican passenger aboard the Titanic. He was a 40-year-old lawyer and deputy, and we know his name because before getting on the world's largest ship, he sent a telegram to his family that said: "Embártcome." A few days later, their loved ones received the devastating news of the sinking of the ship.
Although he never returned home and his remains were never found, his family insisted on investigating the last moments of his life.
As they say, the Mexican politician would have made a brave and altruistic decision amid the shipwreck chaos. It is said that Uruchurtu gave his place in a lifeboat to a woman named Elizabeth Nye, of English nationality. I begged him to allow him to take his place, Nye explained that his son and mother were waiting for her in New York. Moved by his situation, Uruchurtu accepted, but on the condition that if he died, Nye should travel to Mexico to tell his family about the last moments of his life.
Years after the tragic event, Elizabeth Nye fulfilled her promise and traveled to Mexico to tell the heroic act of Uruchurtu. The Mexican's gesture becomes a sample of humanity amid the tragedy, leaving a legacy of courage and generosity in the memory of that terrible trip.
According to Elizabeth Nye, she would have lied to Manuel about the existence of her son and mother in New York, and nobody really waited for her.
These new revelations were backed by one of the great-grandchildren of Uruchurtu, who states that there are testimonies of the time that corroborate that the brave action of his great-grandfather effectively saved another life. This emerging evidence has led to us consider Uruchurt as a hero, not only for his apparent sacrifice for the benefit of another passenger but for the positive impact he had on the life of that rescued person.
As in many stories, the passage of time and the collection of new testimonies can alter and shed new light on the events that occurred. Although the true extension of Manuel Uruchurtu's heroicity is still a debate, his name continues to be remembered and provokes admiration. For that gesture, the passenger is considered a hero in his native Sonora, a state in northern Mexico, and even gave rise to the novel El Caballero del Titanic.
