Why captains sometimes stayed with sinking ships

Why did captains choose to go down with their ships?

It reflects command responsibility and, often, a refusal to leave crew members who could not get off the ship.

A longstanding naval expectation makes the captain the last person to leave a sinking ship. That rule embodies responsibility for both the vessel and everyone aboard it. When wounded or trapped sailors cannot escape, some captains choose not to abandon them. Remaining can therefore express solidarity and care at the end, not merely a ritual of self-destruction.