Reading out the names of the survivors from the Princess Alice disaster in the gardens of North Woolwich Pier. © NMMWaiting for survivors
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| Reading out the names of the survivors from the Princess Alice disaster in the gardens of North Woolwich Pier. © NMM |
Company spokesmen read out the names of the survivors to those who waited anxiously for word of family and friends. Few were to hear good news.
Recovering the bodies from the water
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| Bringing the dead ashore at Woolwich Pier. © NMM |
It soon became obvious that very few passengers had survived the accident.
Before long, the vessels in the area were picking up bodies rather than survivors.
Nearly 500 bodies were recovered in the first week after the collision.
Some bodies were in the water for several days or even weeks before they were retrieved.
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| A body from the Princess Alice disaster. © NMM |
The bodies on the ship
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| The forward part of the Princess Alice. © NMM |
Many of those who died had not been thrown into the water. Their bodies were not recovered until the two halves of the Princess Alice were raised from the Thames.
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| After-part of the Princess Alice. © NMM |
The unidentified bodies
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| Identifying the clothes of the dead. © NMM |
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| Burial of the unknown dead from the Princess Alice disaster at Woolwich Cemetery. © NMM |
The exact number of deaths is unknown but it is likely that around 640 people lost their lives in the tragedy.