HAUNTING 3D scans of the Titanic have proved a villainous twist in the James Cameron movie wrong – and cleared the name of the ship's second in command.
In the 113 years since the ship sank, First Officer William Murdoch has been accused of abandoning his post, taking bribes, and was even depicted as shooting a passenger in the 1997 film.
But , which now lies 12,500ft below the ocean surface, shows Officer Murdoch did not flee his position.
Instead, a key detail on the ship suggests Officer Murdoch died helping passengers escape right up until the ship was submerged in icy Atlantic waters.
The scans are made up of roughly 715,000 photos of the Titanic wreck.
They were captured by deep-sea digital imaging company Magellan for a new National Geographic documentary titled ‘Titanic: The Digital Resurrection'.
Previously, the only pictures available of the ship were grainy videos from navigating gloomy waters two-and-a-half miles down.
On the night of the tragedy, Officer Murdoch was in charge of evacuations on the starboard side of the ship.
In the documentary, Titanic analyst Parks Stephenson explained how scans showed the davit – a type of crane used on ships – at Officer Murdoch's station was in an up position.
This suggests it was getting ready to launch another lifeboat when the Titanic went under.
It supports testimony from surviving crew members at the time, who said Officer Murdoch, 39, was swept away by a wave as he launched one more group of passengers to safety.
Several survivors reported seeing an officer shoot several men rushing for a lifeboat and then shoot himself.
The officer was rumoured to be Murdoch, which was then replicated in the film adaptation of the tragedy.
Yet Second Officer Charles Lightoller claimed he saw Officer Murdoch from the top of the deckhouse as he was swept away.
“This davit is in the up position, meaning its crew is basically trying to get a lifeboat ready to be launched,” said Stephenson.
He added: “This coincides with Second Officer Lightoller's description.
“This davit right here stands in mute testimony that supports Lightoller's version of events because being in the up position is exactly what Lightoller described.”
William McMaster Murdoch was born on 28 February 1873 in the Scottish town of Dalbeattie.
The seaman served on a number of vessels before beingsecuring the position of First Officer aboard the legendary Titanic.
In September 1907, he married a school teacher from New Zealand named Ada Florence Banks.
But the last time he would see his wifewas on 10 April 1912, when the Titanic departed on its maiden voyage from Southampton.
