A new study suggests that the belief that women and children are first to be saved when ships sink is largely a myth, the BBC reported.

Analysis of survivors from 18 maritime disasters shows that women have a distinct survival disadvantage, say researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden.

The report says captains and crew have a significantly higher survival rate.

The Titanic disaster, which occurred 100 years ago this week, was a rare exception because the captain threatened to shoot those who disobeyed, the reports concludes.

(China.org.cn April 13, 2012)

据英国广播公司报道，最新研究显示，轮船沉没时先救妇女和儿童的准则，很大程度上只是传说。

瑞典乌普萨拉大学的研究人员对18次海难的幸存者进行调查，结果发现，女性幸存者明显少于男性。

该报告称，船长和船员存活率显然更高一些。

报告于最后提到，本周即沉船100周年的“泰坦尼克号”是为数不多的例外，当时，船长用枪支威胁乘客服从命令，才使妇女儿童优先逃生。