On January 23, 1909, the British Royal Mail steamship Republic became the first ship to be involved in a radio-assisted rescue at sea. The Republic collided with the Italian liner Florida in dense fog off Nantucket Island. After the collision, the Republic’s radio operator, Jack Binns, used the ship’s Marconi wireless telegraph to send distress signals. His SOS messages were received by nearby ships and shore stations, initiating a rescue operation. The swift response, coordinated through wireless communication, resulted in the successful rescue of more than 1,500 passengers and crew members from both vessels. This incident demonstrated the critical importance of wireless telegraphy in maritime safety and marked a significant milestone in the use of radio for emergency communication at sea.
