Victoria steamboat disaster

The Victoria steamboat disaster was a Canadian maritime disaster on May 24, 1881, in which an overcrowded passenger boat capsized, killing 182 of its 650 passengers on the Thames River, Ontario.

At 6:00pm, while another ship, the Princess Louise passed the Victoria, many of the passengers crowded over to take a look. The boat careened, and became partially submerged. When passengers reacted by rushing to the other side, the Victoria toppled over, with the second deck of the ship falling on the first. In only 17 feet of calm water, 182 people drowned, or were crushed by the collapse of the ship.