Featured Wikipedia-article, Sept 2014 The paddle steamer SS Arctic, owned by the Collins Line of New York, sank on September 27, 1854, after a collision with SS Vesta, a much smaller vessel, 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of Newfoundland. Passenger and crew lists indicate that there were probably more than 400 on board; of these, only 88 survived, most of whom were members of the crew. All the women and children on board perished.