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The forgotten tragedy overshadowed by the Titanic
A service will take place in Liverpool to remember the Empress of Ireland which sank with huge loss of life a century ago.
In the early hours of 29 May 1914, the Canadian Pacific liner left Quebec to make its homeward journey to Liverpool.
But in thick fog the liner collided with a Norwegian ship and went down in less than 15 minutes. Most of the 1,057 passengers and 420 crew were asleep when tragedy struck.
More than 1,000 people were lost. Of the 138 children aboard, only four survived.
172 crew members perished, many were from Liverpool Credit: Merseyside Maritime Museum
The disaster is overshadowed by the sinkings of the Titanic in 1912 and the Lusitania in 1915 yet more passengers lost their lives aboard the Empress of Ireland.
A memorial service will be held at Liverpool Parish Church
