When was the sinking of the Lusitania and how many lives were lost?

The sinking of the RMS Lusitania happened on May 7, 1915 , and 1,198 people were killed.

Quick facts

• The ship was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland.

• It sank in about 20 minutes.

• The loss of life included 128 Americans.

Why it matters

The disaster became one of the most famous maritime tragedies of World War I and helped fuel outrage over Germany’s submarine warfare.