1. Speed: The Titanic was instructed by its operator White Star Line to travel at a high speed because it was competing against other shipping companies' vessels for dominance. This posed a significant risk, particularly when the ship was approaching dangerous waters.
2. Lack of binoculars in crow's nest: An additional pair of binoculars was stored safely in a nearby drawer for safe keeping. However, because of this decision, the crew could not see the iceberg early enough to prevent the collision.
3. Icebergs: The presence of large icebergs in the North Atlantic Ocean posed a threat to ships operating in the area. The Titanic did encounter ice warnings but failed to take appropriate precautions, such as reducing speed or changing course.
4. Captain's decision: The ship's captain, Edward Smith, ordered a slightly altered course to avoid the iceberg, but this ultimately proved insufficient to prevent the collision.
5. Delayed warnings: The ship received several iceberg warnings from other vessels but failed to react swiftly or effectively to these alerts.
It is important to note that the sinking of the Titanic was not the fault of any single individual, but rather a combination of several factors that contributed to the tragedy.