LONDON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- A British television documentary claims the Titanic disaster occurred because of a misunderstanding between two ship radio operators.
Cyril Evans of the SS Californian, sailing 20 miles from the Titanic, reportedly tried to warn Titanic radio operator Jack Phillips, 25, of ice in the area, claims "The Unsinkable Titanic," aired Monday on Channel 4 in England.
Phillips, who was busy with a backlog of messages to send for passengers, reportedly wired Evans, telling him to "Shut up."
Evans switched off his radio equipment and 10 minutes later the Titanic hit the iceberg that doomed the ship on its maiden voyage to New York in 1912, The Sun reported Monday.
Because the radio was switched off, the Californian failed to get the Titanic's SOS message until it was too late for the California to sail to the rescue, the program said.
A total of 1,523 people, including Phillips, died in the sinking of the Titanic.
