Final answer:
Captain Edward John Smith is believed to have perished in the Titanic disaster, but the exact circumstances of his death are unknown due to conflicting eyewitness accounts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The captain of the Titanic was named Edward John Smith. Despite the stories and heroic portrayals often associated with Captain Smith's final moments, the exact details of whether he went down with the ship are not definitively known. However, it is widely accepted that Captain Smith did perish in the disaster. Eyewitness accounts from survivors are somewhat conflicted, with some stating they saw him enter the water after giving final orders and others claiming to have seen him in the ship's wheelhouse as the Titanic sank. The ambiguity surrounding his final moments has led to various legends about his death, but it is clear that he did not survive the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912.