One of the most chilling accounts to your point, neuroman, came from J.V. Brown. He was one of the very few to escape of those who were caught on the river side of the lowest deck. He described his escape: “Suddenly I saw water begin to come in through the portholes. My idea was to get up the stairs to the deck above, which was more open. I swam over and started to go up – or rather along – them, for the boat was on her side by this time. But suddenly one of the people in the water grabbed my legs, another got hold of one arm, and a third got me by the hair. Let me tell you, no man is a hero under water. I fought. I finally got loose – still under water – and managed to get to the top of the stairs. It was pitch black.”
His one quote – “no man is a hero under water” – could only have come from someone who was engaged underwater in a fight for his life.