Surviving Disaster

San Francisco Earthquake

60 min

17 October 1989: a tremor measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale causes major damage to the coastal city, trapping scores of drivers on the Cypress freeway. This drama documentary vividly reconstructs the disaster and the rescue mission, while survivors recall the terror.

The Fastnet Yacht Race

60 min

Terror awaited men and women sailing in the infamous offshore race of August 1979. This drama documentary reconstructs the ferocious Irish Sea storm that hit the race and scattered yachts in treacherous waters - killing 15 and causing 24 crews to abandon ship.

Iran Hostage Rescue

60 min

In November 1979, Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Tehran, taking 66 Americans hostage. President Carter ordered an elite US military force to launch a top-secret rescue, Operation Eagle Claw. This re-creation of the dramatic events splices the action with archive footage of those directly involved.

The Sinking of The Estonia

60 min

Once a symbol of independence for the Estonian people, the ferry ventured into the Baltic's high winds and ferocious waves in September 1994. Under pressure to arrive on time, the Estonia kept going at speed - causing the car ramp to open and water to enter. Of the aboard, only 137 survived.