Against The Odds
Against The Odds is an immersive survival podcast from Wondery, hosted by adventurers Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol. It shares thrilling stories of human resilience in extreme situations, such as the rescue of a soccer team from a Thai cave and a hostage crisis with Somali pirates. The series is available ad-free for Audible subscribers.
Episodes
Listen Now: I Am Not Nicholas
“I am not Nicholas Rossi!” gasps Arthur Knight through an oxygen mask in March 2022. Recently discharged from a Covid ward in Glasgow, he's in a wheelchair. The police say he’s Nicholas Rossi, suspected of faking his death and wanted for rape in Utah. The story makes headlines globally.When journalist Jane MacSorley meets Arthur Knight and his wife Miranda, she thinks the police have made
Nightmare in Tornado Alley | What Remains | 3
When the tornado finally passes, survivors crawl from the wreckage to find their town in ruins. A shaken Gary England and his team at KWTV report on the destruction. First responders claw through mountains of rubble looking for survivors. As some families experience miracles and others face heartbreaking loss, the true scale of the devastation begins to sink in.For more on this story, we
Nightmare in Tornado Alley | It's Here | 2
As a massive mile-wide tornado approaches the town of Moore, Oklahoma, meteorologist Gary England warns viewers to take shelter wherever they can. For principal Amy Simpson and the students and faculty of Plaza Towers Elementary School, that means hallways and bathrooms. At Briarwood Elementary, LaDonna Cobb is one of many teachers who try to shield children with their bodies, as the
Listen Now: Dan Taberski’s Manifesto
Just in time for America’s 250th birthday, follow Dan Taberski (Hysterical, 9/12, Missing Richard Simmons) as he sets off on his most complicated quest yet: to reclaim the manifesto and write his own. Dan attempts to rescue the manifesto as a form from the sweaty clutches of cynical politicians and mass shooters and return it to its rightful place: with the artists, the warriors, the visi
Nightmare in Tornado Alley | Storm Watch | 1
On May 20, 2013, residents of Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City, awoke to a severe weather watch. But no one was overly concerned. Tornadoes are a fact of life in the Midwest, especially in Moore, which had already survived a devastating EF5-strength twister on May 3rd, 1999, packing winds of 321 miles per hour. No one really believed it could happen again. But soon, a powerful new tornado
FAN FAVORITE: Crash in a Volcano | Climbing Out | 2
Rescue workers search for the camera crew trapped inside Kilauea’s Pu’u O’o crater, but they’re forced to abandon their efforts when an incoming storm makes conditions too hazardous. Cameramen Chris Duddy and Mike Benson struggle to survive a night inside the volcano. When daylight comes and there’s still no sign of rescue, Chris makes a fateful decision — to try to save his own life and
FAN FAVORITE: Crash in a Volcano | Into the Crater | 1
In November 1992, a Hollywood camera crew soars above Hawaii’s Kīlauea, one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes, to capture footage for a major feature film. But suddenly their helicopter’s engine cuts out, and they plunge into an active crater. Trapped and inhaling toxic fumes, the men will have to battle for survival — even for every breath — if they’re going to escape the volcano a
Coast Guard Rescue on Alaska's High Seas | A Pilot Remembers | 4
When Coast Guard pilot Steve Torpey got called into work on a Friday night back in January, 1998, he had no idea he was heading into the most challenging flight of his career. At that point, two Coast Guard helicopters had already failed to rescue the crew of the sunken fishing vessel La Conte. Torpey’s crew — manning the third helicopter — were the stranded fishermen’s last hope. No
Coast Guard Rescue on Alaska's High Seas | Hanging On | 3
With two helicopter teams exhausted and out of fuel after hours of failed attempts, the Coast Guard was forced to send out a third and final team to try to pluck the stranded fishermen from the icy waters. With no other pilots left, it fell to base commander Ted LeFeuvre to lead the final crew. And as the high winds and waves of the brutal storm refused to let up, he was forced to take un
Coast Guard Rescue on Alaska's High Seas | Rogue Wave | 2
Forced to abandon the La Conte, the five fishermen — Bob Doyle, Mark Morley, Mike DeCapua, Giggy Mork and David Hanlon — find themselves at the mercy of towering waves and galeforce winds as they float in the frigid sea. As they prayed for a swift rescue, the Coast Guard helicopter crew sent from Sitka soon discovered this wasn’t an ordinary, or predictable, storm. For more on this s
Coast Guard Rescue on Alaska's High Seas | Black Line | 1
On January 30, 1998, five fishermen finally hit the jackpot in a fishing bank known as Fairweather Ground off the southeastern coast of Alaska. They were aboard a wooden ship called the La Conte, which had seen better days. Despite a brewing storm approaching and the ship taking on water, the men decided to throw out one more fishing line. They’d soon learn they’d made a grave mistake.For
In Their Own Words: Slipped Off a Glacier | 1
In July of 2025, climate reporter Alec Luhn was in his element hiking around a glacier in Norway’s Folgefonna National Park. But when Alec slipped off a boulder and broke his leg, he found himself unable to move and trapped in a remote area with no one expecting him home for days. On this episode of In Their Own Words, Alec recounts the story of his fall, being caught in a storm, and doin
WWII Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | The "Battling Belles" of Bataan | 6
The capture of American nurses in the Philippines is often described as an “untold story” of WWII; Dr. Elizabeth Norman set out to change that. She conducted extensive interviews with 20 of the 77 nurses who were captured. Norman collected the nurses’ firsthand accounts, and pored over their diaries and letters, weaving these sources together in her book, We Band of Angels: The Untold Sto
WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | A Risky Plan | 5
The rations at the Los Baños P.O.W. camp are now down to just 400 calories per day. Every day, the nurses tend to patients who die from starvation. They don’t know how much longer they can hold on. Unbeknownst to them, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Muller of the U.S. Army launches his plan to liberate the camp. But it’s complex and dangerous, with many moving pieces. It’s very likely it c
WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | A Taste of Freedom | 4
Conditions at the Los Baños camp are deteriorating. More and more prisoners have been transferred there, leading to overcrowding, and rations have been cut to under 1,000 calories per day. Prisoners are resorting to desperate acts to survive as they’re pushed to the physical and psychological brink. The nurses are also malnourished and struggling to care for their fellow prisone
WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | The Devil You Know | 3
Desperate to get away from the sadistic commandant in charge of their P.O.W. camp, the twelve Navy nurses, who call themselves the Twelve Anchors, agree to transfer to a new camp. It’s called Los Baños and it’s located deep in the jungle, 40 miles outside of Manilla. But when the nurses arrive, they realize this new camp has no medical supplies, not enough beds for prisoners to
WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | Captured | 2
After Japan invades the Philippines, the twelve Navy nurses find themselves imprisoned at a military hospital turned P.O.W. camp. They make the best of it, continuing to tend to their patients, confident that the American military will quickly defeat Japan and liberate them. But as the weeks drag into months, with no rescue in sight, the nurses are transferred to another camp. They s
WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | An Act of War | 1
It’s the Depression and twenty-three-year-old-Dorothy Still is desperate for a job. She joins the US Navy as a nurse, and by 1941, she’s given a dream posting at an American base in the Philippines. Dorothy lives in a beautiful location, with easy work, and a thriving night life. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, the Philippines becomes Japan’s next target. Dorothy and elev
Lightning Strike on Half Dome | Survive the Night | 2
As the hikers slowly regain consciousness, they realize the worst has happened: they’ve been struck by lightning. By chance, a pair of EMTs finds their way to the summit in time to help. But they soon realize that if they don’t get the men off Half Dome and airlifted to a hospital fast, they won’t make it till morning. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odd
Lightning Strike on Half Dome | The Storm | 1
On the evening of July 27, 1985, a group of friends decided to ignore gathering storm clouds and warnings as they climbed to the top of Yosemite’s famous Half Dome. Climbers Adrian Esteban and Tom Rice reached the summit first, soon joined by three others as a thunderstorm raged. They decided to shelter in a small cave-like enclosure — a decision that would prove deadly. Audible subs
In Their Own Words: Chris Lemons – Deep Sea Diving Crisis | 1
In 2012, Chris Lemons had a bright future ahead, with a fiancee and a good job fixing oil infrastructure on the ocean floor. One night in September, he went to work on a pipe about 300 feet beneath the North Sea. But, an accident left him alone and cut off from his lifeline – with only a small emergency supply of oxygen. On this episode of In Their Own Words, Chris shares the story of sur
FAN FAVORITE: Alaska Bear Attack | Three Long Hours | 2
After Bart Pieciul is mauled by a bear in the Alaska wilderness, his friends have to use all of their outdoor knowledge to keep him alive. The three men are stranded in the mountains for hours, waiting for a Coast Guard helicopter to airlift Bart to the nearest hospital. As the temperature drops, they’re desperate to prevent their friend from succumbing to blood loss and hypothermia. And
FAN FAVORITE: Alaska Bear Attack | In Defense of Life and Property | 1
The residents of Haines, Alaska are used to living alongside bears. The region surrounding their small town has one of the densest bear populations in the world. But as climate change curtails the bears’ natural food sources, encounters between bears and humans are becoming more common, putting everyone on edge. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds
Schoolchildren's Blizzard | Not Forgotten | 5
Early settlers to the Midwest were accustomed to harsh winters, but the blizzard that hit the Great Plains on January 12th, 1888 caught thousands of pioneer families off guard. The storm was especially brutal for children trying to find their way home from rural schoolhouses. Author David Laskin joins host Mike Corey to talk about how he pieced together the stories of the blizzard, and ho
Schoolchildren's Blizzard | The Frozen Remains | 4
By the morning of January 13th, 1888, the blizzard had passed, and a frantic search for survivors began. Farmer Johann Albrecht looked for his missing son, and Wilhelm Woebbecke hunted for his foster daughter Lena. Every search party knew they were racing against time to find survivors before they succumbed to hypothermia. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi
Schoolchildren's Blizzard | Exposed | 3
As the blizzard raged, its winds blew up to 60 miles per hour. Those caught out in the storm faced white-out conditions. With few landmarks on the flat prairie, even residents who knew the area well found themselves disoriented. Children like Walter Allen and Lena Woebbecke became lost in the furious storm, desperately trying to make it to safety.Be the first to know about Wondery’s
Schoolchildren's Blizzard | Into the Swirling White | 2
On January 12th, 1888, residents of the Dakota Territory and Nebraska woke to an unseasonably warm day. Farmers took advantage of the mild weather to tend to chores and children headed off to school in light jackets. But longtime residents like Sioux tribe member Charley Stabler recognized signs that a major blizzard was coming. As the storm hit, schoolteachers faced agoniz
Schoolchildren's Blizzard | No Warning | 1
In the 1800s millions of people moved to the American midwest, drawn by promises of cheap, fertile land. But they were caught unprepared in January 1888, when a cold front swept down from Canada and caused a brutal blizzard that left thousands of schoolchildren stranded in drafty, uninsulated schoolhouses.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations,
Madre de Dios: Stranded in the Amazon | Still Waters | 3
More than a week into their ordeal, Fitz and Holly FitzGerald are trapped deep in a jungle swamp. Jaguars scream in the night, insects ravage their skin, and starvation is taking hold. With no way out by raft, they’re forced to swim through caiman-infested water to survive. And as the weeks drag on, they must summon every last ounce of strength just to stay alive.Be the first to know abou
Madre de Dios: Stranded in the Amazon | Dead End | 2
Fitz and Holly FitzGerald set out on their handmade raft, the Pink Palace, drifting down the Madre de Dios under sparkling sunlight. But when night falls, everything changes. After a tense encounter at the border, a violent storm hurls them off course, into a flooded maze of dark water and trees with no way out.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations,
Madre de Dios: Stranded in the Amazon | Delayed Honeymoon | 1
In 1973, American newlyweds Fitz and Holly FitzGerald travel to Peru, hoping to ride a riverboat down the wild Madre de Dios River on their way to Bolivia — and ultimately, the Amazon. But from the start, nothing goes as planned. Watching their dream slip away, the couple makes a fateful decision: they’ll push forward on their own, on a homemade raft, into one of the most remote stretches
FAN FAVORITE: Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping | Buried Alive | 2
The kidnapped children and their bus driver are trapped underground in the back of a moving truck, and they’re running out of food and water. They decide the only way out is to dig their way to the surface. Meanwhile, the amateur criminals who hijacked the school bus are trying to deliver a five million dollar ransom demand to the California government. Soon, the tables are turned, and th
FAN FAVORITE: Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping | Vanished | 1
In the summer of 1976, three masked gunmen hijack a school bus full of children in rural Chowchilla, California. The twenty-six kids and their bus driver are driven to a quarry and buried alive. Back in town, no one has any idea where the children went, who took them, or why. The local sheriff and the FBI launch a massive manhunt to track down the kidnappers and locate the children, but t
Miracle in the North Atlantic | The Seal Man | 2
In 1984, a young fisherman named Gudlaugur Fridthorsson — better known as “Laugi”— headed out to sea off the coast of Iceland in a small fishing trawler. But the first night of the trip, their boat capsizes, leaving Laugi and his crewmates stranded in frigid waters miles from shore. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up
Miracle in the North Atlantic | The Dark Ocean | 1
In 1984, a young fisherman named Gudlaugur Fridthorsson — better known as “Laugi”— headed out to sea off the coast of Iceland in a small fishing trawler. But the first night of the trip, their boat capsizes, leaving Laugi and his crewmates stranded in frigid waters miles from shore. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up
In Their Own Words: Trapped After a Car Crash | 1
In December of 2023, Matt Reum spun off a freeway in Indiana to avoid something in the road. His pickup truck rolled down a hill and landed under a bridge where no one could see him. Matt spent the next six days – including Christmas Day – pinned inside the wreckage of his truck, praying that someone would find him. On this episode of In Their Own Words, Matt shares the story of his fight
Tsunami in Thailand | The Missing | 4
By the early afternoon, the water started to recede back out to sea. But the destruction left in its wake was devastating. Communications were down, roads were washed out. First responders raced to rescue stranded survivors and doctors stretched their supplies to the limits to treat the thousands of victims pouring into local hospitals. Back on shore, fisherman Wimon Thongtae began t
Tsunami in Thailand | Devastation | 3
As the force of the waves lessened, survivors faced a new problem: they were trapped in the mass of debris the tsunami generated. Stuck between a swirl of cars, building remains, and dead bodies, the survivors resorted to extreme measures to reach safety. Dozens of tourists were stranded at the Emerald Cave with no way out. At sea, Wimon Thongtae began the treacherous journey home to
Tsunami in Thailand | Overtaken | 2
As the wave barreled ashore on Thailand’s west coast, people were sucked under a powerful wall of water that was so strong it ripped the clothes off their backs. It separated husbands from wives, and parents from their children. Six miles out to sea, fisherman Wimon Thongtae raced to figure out how to position his small boat, so it could survive as one giant wave after another sped t
Tsunami in Thailand | Strange Tide | 1
On the morning of December 26th, 2004, a 9.1 earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean, triggering a tsunami. Along Thailand’s west coast, tourists like Ed and Helen Muesch, and residents like fisherman Wimon Thongtae went about their days, as usual. They were all unaware that a massive wave was heading straight toward them. By the time they realized the threat, they had only seconds to
In Their Own Words: Mauled By A Grizzly | 1
In the summer of 2005, 17-year-old Alex Messenger sets out on a 42-day canoe trip in the remote wilderness of northern Canada. For nearly a month, he and his fellow campers paddle through rivers and lakes, and live completely cut off from the outside world. But on Day 29, Alex takes a short solo hike up a ridge—and suddenly comes face-to-face with a 600-pound grizzly bear. On this episode
The Big Burn | Fight Fire with Fire | 4
The Buffalo Soldiers evacuate women and children from Avery, Idaho by train, but they don’t get far before the fire catches up to them. Emma Pulaski receives terrible news about her husband. With the fire closing in, rangers and soldiers take radical measures to save Avery. Order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for A
The Big Burn | Evacuations | 3
As teams of firefighters and forest rangers find themselves trapped by the megafire and unable to help, residents of Wallace and Avery prepare to evacuate. While Ed Pulaski and his crew take shelter in an old mining tunnel, Ed’s wife Emma decides to flee with their daughter Elsie to an old mining dump on the outskirts of town, hoping she’s made the right decision. Order your copy of
The Big Burn | The Blow-Up | 2
As the fires spread, ranger Ed Pulaski tries to lead his men on a last-ditch effort to save the town of Wallace. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Soldiers race to build firebreaks around Avery, and head ranger Bill Weigle realizes he’s made a terrible mistake. Order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disa
The Big Burn | The Driest Summer | 1
In the summer of 1910, a severe drought turned Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene National Forest into a tinderbox. Spot fires cropped up around the mining towns of Wallace and Avery and it was the job of forest rangers like Ed Pulaski to put them out. But when a massive windstorm swept through in August, those smaller fires converged into the largest megablaze in American history.Order your copy of t
Siula Grande: Over the Edge | Making Peace With It, With Simon Yates | 4
In 1985, high on Peru’s Siula Grande, everything went wrong, and two climbers made choices that became mountaineering lore. Simon Yates joins host Cassie De Pecol to talk about risk, survival, and being known as “the guy who cut the rope.”If you’d like to learn more about Simon's adventures in mountaineering, check out his books: Against the Wall, The Flame of Adventure, and The Wild With
Siula Grande: Over the Edge | Keep Moving | 3
Simon Yates begins his lonely return to base camp, convinced that his partner Joe Simpson is dead. He wrestles with guilt and grief, unsure how he’ll ever explain what happened to those back home. Meanwhile, Joe manages to haul himself out of the crevasse. But with a shattered leg and six miles of brutal terrain ahead, his fight to stay alive is just beginning.Our story consultant for thi
Siula Grande: Over the Edge | Long Way Down | 2
After Joe Simpson fractures his leg, his climbing partner Simon Yates begins lowering him down the mountain, 300 feet at a time. But near the bottom, Simon unknowingly lowers Joe over the edge of a sheer cliff. Joe is left dangling in midair, unable to take his weight off the rope. And Simon, anchored above, can’t pull him back up. They trapped in a deadly stalemate.Our story consultant f
Siula Grande: Over the Edge | First Ascent | 1
It’s June 1985. Two young British climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, set out to conquer the unclimbed west face of Siula Grande, a towering 21,000-foot peak in the Peruvian Andes. But high on the mountain, Joe suffers a catastrophic injury, forcing Simon to make an agonizing decision: risk his own life to try and save his partner… or leave him behind to die.Our story consultant for th
FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Discovery | 4
As the search for the missing climbers enters its second day, rescuers redouble their efforts to find the lost students and their adult guides. But the vastness of the search area presents major challenges. Rescue workers and parents face the awful reality that the missing climbers' chances for survival are dwindling rapidly. But then, a crucial discovery gives them hope, and profoundly a
FAN FAVORITE: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | River's End | 4
After weeks on the River of Doubt, Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition is on the verge of collapse. But hope emerges when they find clues that Brazilian frontiersmen may be living and working in the wilderness nearby. As Roosevelt’s health deteriorates, drastic measures must be taken to fight the infection in his leg. The men must race to return the former president to civilization before ill
FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Search and Rescue | 3
Morning provides no relief for the Oregon Episcopal School climbers trapped without food or water high on Mount Hood. The storm that forced them to take shelter in a snow cave shows no signs of letting up. Two of the climbers embark on a perilous journey to find help, while elite rescuers battle the elements, and confront the terrifying possibility that they could wind up stranded on the
FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Considered Lost | 2
With night falling, the student climbers and their adult chaperones must take refuge in a cramped, frigid, and hastily dug snow cave. Their leader, Father Tom Goman, begins to succumb to hypothermia. Meanwhile, search and rescue teams prepare to deploy. But as the storm that first trapped the climbers on Mount Hood rages on, the dire nature of their predicament becomes increasingly appare
FAN FAVORITE: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | A Killer in Their Midst | 3
Challenges mount as the expedition travels farther down the river. With the end of their journey nowhere in sight, hunger and disease take their toll on the men. Colonel Rondon wonders if members of an indigenous tribe are following them … and waiting to attack. Tensions between the men simmer, until they explode in violence. In the midst of this turmoil, Theodore Roosevelt suffers an inj
FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Whiteout | 1
In May 1986, a group of high school students and faculty embarked on a journey to the top of Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain. The climb was part of an annual wilderness program, and was usually uneventful. But during this climb, a brutal and massive storm engulfed the mountain, stranding the climbers near the summit, and forcing them into a harrowing battle for survival.Order your c
FAN FAVORITE: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | River of Doubt | 2
As Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition sets off down the River of Doubt, it doesn’t take long for the going to get rough. Their canoes are no match for the boiling rapids, forcing them to trek through an unforgiving jungle rife with insects, predators and disease. As their movement slows, their food supplies dwindle. Roosevelt’s son Kermit takes a bold risk to speed their progress . . . but t
Business Wars Presents: The AOL-Time Warner Disaster
Think business is boring? What about when your streaming bill goes up, or your favorite restaurant files for bankruptcy? Do you ever wonder what’s going on behind the scenes? Business Wars gives you a front row seat to the biggest moments in business, to explain how they shape our world. In the latest season, they explore the AOL Time Warner merger, a deal that became one of the most expe
FAN FAVORITE: Teddy Roosevelt's Amazon Expedition | Headwaters | 1
In 1913, former President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a perilous expedition to explore one of the last unmapped rivers in the Amazon. Roosevelt was joined by his son Kermit, famed Brazilian explorer Candido Rondon, and a team of naturalists and porters. But as the party sets off on a 400 mile trek across the highlands to reach the headwaters, they discover they are woefully unprepared
In Their Words: Ali Truwit — Shark Attack Survivor | 1
In May of 2023, competitive swimmer Ali Truwit had just graduated from Yale, completed her first marathon, and had a job lined up in New York City. But a few days after graduation, Ali was snorkeling with a friend in the Caribbean when, out of nowhere, she was attacked by a shark. Today, Ali Truwit https://strongerthanyouthink.org/ shares her fight for survival, and how her journey to rec
Alone in Antarctica | The Last Man | 3
The Far Eastern Party’s two surviving members, Douglas Mawson and Xavier Mertz, must take drastic measures if they’re going to make it back to their base alive. They’ve lost almost all of their food and supplies. And if they can’t get back to base camp before their supply ship leaves, they’ll be forced to endure another Antarctic winter. Order your copy of the new Against the Odds bo
Alone in Antarctica | The Far Eastern Party | 2
Douglas Mawson and his companions Belgrave Ninnis and Xavier Mertz are losing precious time on their journey across uncharted territory in Antarctica. Severe storms have pinned them down for days, and they’ve had to backtrack to avoid hidden crevasses in the Antarctic ice, so deep that falling into one would mean almost certain death. Then, more than 300 miles from base camp, a shocking t
Alone in Antarctica | The Windiest Place on Earth | 1
It’s 1912, the golden age of Antarctic exploration, and teams from the Australasian Antarctic Expedition are preparing to journey into the wilderness. One trio, led by the Australian geologist Douglas Mawson, will venture the farthest — traversing 700 miles roundtrip of uncharted territory. But when his journey takes a disastrous turn, Mawson will have to endure what the mountaineer Sir E
Oceanos: Rescue off the Wild Coast | Into the Waves | 4
In August 1991, Lorraine Betts set sail aboard the Oceanos as cruise director, overseeing passenger entertainment and well-being. But when the lights went out and the ship began taking on water, it wasn’t the captain who led the evacuation—it was Lorraine and a small group of entertainers who sprang into action. Today, she joins host Cassie De Pecol to share her firsthand account of the n
Oceanos: Rescue off the Wild Coast | Sink or Swim | 3
With all the lifeboats launched, the remaining passengers aboard the Oceanos cling to railings as the ship lists hard to one side. When helicopters arrive, the entertainment crew springs into action again—coordinating a high-stakes airlift as rescuers lower cables from the sky. But as dawn breaks, the ship edges ever closer to capsizing. Out at sea, mothers aboard lifeboats hand over thei
Oceanos: Rescue off the Wild Coast | Abandon Ship | 2
As a hellish storm batters the Oceanos off the South African coast, senior crew members flee aboard a lifeboat, leaving passengers behind. With no leadership in sight, the entertainers step up, guiding women and children into the last remaining lifeboats as the ship begins to list dangerously in the churning sea. Out on the water, mothers clutch their infants as waves batter the tiny boat
Oceanos: Rescue off the Wild Coast | “Just A Precaution” | 1
On the night of August 3, 1991, the cruise ship Oceanos sets sail from South Africa’s eastern cape with 571 people aboard—despite a massive storm barreling up the coast. Soon, a breach in the hull knocks out power, and the ship begins taking on water. As senior officers abandon ship, the fate of everyone on board falls to the ship’s entertainers, who must lead a mass evacuation before the
An Exclusive Excerpt From Our New Book | 1
We’ve got a new book! How to Survive Against the Odds: Tales & Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disasters is out today from Wondery and HarperCollins. Go inside life-or-death situations where everyday people survived nature’s most extreme scenarios—and learn how you can, too, with expert insights and survival tips.In this episode, we’re sharing an exclusive sample chapter
Mount St. Helens | Still Alive | 4
Rescue helicopters finally reach the campers, Sue and Bruce, as well as other stranded survivors like TV reporter David Crockett and logger Jim Scymanky. But with nightfall approaching, Sue worries that rescuers won’t be able to find her injured friends, Dan Balch and Brian Thomas, in time. With the roads onto the mountain impassible, blocked by trees and debris, rescuers' only chance of
Mount St. Helens | Blast Zone | 3
The survivors of the Mount St. Helens eruption find themselves in an alien world, with toppled trees, mudslides, and thick, hot ash covering everything. Unsure when or if rescue is coming, campers Sue Ruff and Bruce Nelson must make a difficult decision: whether to stay with their injured friends, or leave them behind, in order to get help faster. Order your copy of the new Aga
Mount St. Helens | Hell on Earth | 2
When Mount St. Helens erupts, Sue Ruff and her boyfriend Bruce Nelson are camping with four friends about 14 miles north of the volcano. They were told this was well out of range of any eruption, but soon they find themselves caught in a searing-hot cloud of ash and debris, fighting for their lives. Order your copy of the new Against the Odds book, How to Survive Against the Odd
Mount St. Helens | Awakening | 1
In March 1980, after 120 years of dormancy, the volcano Mount St. Helens in Washington State begins showing signs of life. Scientists warn that a major eruption is coming, but they’re unable to completely block off access to the mountain. Some locals, like lodge owner Harry Truman, refuse to leave. And on May 18, when the volcano finally explodes, 150 people are caught in the deadly path
Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | Keg Point | 4
It's March 10, 1979—24 days since their sailboat sank and 15 days since Elmo and Randy arrived at a remote cabin, trapped, powerless to save Cindy and Jena, and consumed by guilt and grief. Once they regain their strength and the snow begins to melt, they discover an old skiff on the beach. At last, Elmo and Randy set out to find the girls, and their way to safety.Pre-order your copy of t
Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | The Cabin | 3
Elmo and his son Randy leave the girls behind, paddling ahead in their Sport-Yak to find help—but trouble continues to follow. Though they eventually reach the cabin, the CB radio doesn’t work, and as their frostbitten feet thaw, they can barely stand. Helpless, they spend days struggling to recover while miles away, Cindy and Jena remain alone on the freezing beach, without food or fire.
Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | The Raft | 2
After a powerful storm destroys their sailboat and leaves them stranded on a remote Alaskan island, Elmo Wortman and his children build a raft, determined to reach a friend’s cabin 25 miles north. Elmo expects southeastern winds to carry them there in a day or two, but the journey is far harsher than he imagined. After several grueling days inching northward, he makes a difficult decision
Family Shipwrecked in Alaska | Home | 1
It’s February 13, 1979. Elmo Wortman and his three children are sailing home to Alaska across the frigid North Pacific after a routine orthodontist visit in Canada. But this time, they get caught in a freak storm—80-mile-per-hour winds and towering 20-foot swells rip their homemade sailboat apart, leaving them stranded on a remote island in the dead of winter. Pre-order your copy of
In Their Own Words: Fallen on Mount Whitney | 1
In April of 1982, Jean Muenchrath and her boyfriend had nearly completed a 230-mile cross-country ski trip through California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the final day of their journey, they planned to hike the highest peak in the lower 48 states: Mount Whitney. But on the summit, the pair was engulfed in a blizzard and lightning storm. On this special episode of Against the Odds, Jean
ENCORE: Rock Climbers Abducted | Breaking Free | 4
When the Americans finally act out and decide to fight for their lives, they’re left alone in an inhospitable mountain rage full of rebel militants and a trigger happy army. Far more than just a rescue mission, the climbers have to cross miles of treacherous terrain in the black of night with hopes that they won’t be mistaken for an insurgent militia by the Kyrgyz army. And if they do mak
ENCORE: Rock Climbers Abducted | Fight or Flight | 3
Days without food or water start to weaken the young climbers as their captors push them further into the mountains and further from civilization. But their captors are starting to lose steam too. On a cold dark evening the Americans are left alone with only one of their kidnappers and it dawns on them: there won’t be many more moments where they might be able to overtake their heavily ar
ENCORE: Rock Climbers Abducted | Hostage Situation | 2
After being kidnapped by rebel militants in a remote region of Kyrgyzstan, four American rock climbers are forced at gunpoint toward the Uzbekistan border. But their captors are being trailed by the Kygyz army. Soon, the unwitting climbers find themselves in the middle of a firefight of epic proportions and they have to hide to stay alive. As night falls, the climbers are forced on the mo
ENCORE: Rock Climbers Abducted | Welcome to Paradise | 1
In August of the year 2000, four American rock climbers set out to explore the majesty of the Pamir Alai Mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. But only a week into their expedition, they’re taken captive by rebel militants. The group is forced to hike through brutal terrain under the cover of night to avoid detection by the Kyrgyz army. With little to no food or water provided by their captors, t
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