Whenever there is an accident on a passenger ship, the crew attempts to keep the passengers under control. Apparently someone made an announcement that passengers should remain where they were. The chaperons and the dutiful students obeyed, remained below decks and drowned. The big question is did the person who made that announcement know how badly the ship was damaged and should he had ordered abandon ship. The lost time may have been crucial.
I agree with your comment re: the person making the announcement to stay put may not have known the extent of the ship’s damage. I wonder if that person made it off the ship? If so, he/she will surely be carrying a heavy burden.