Surviving Disaster
Season 1
TV-PG
BBC Docu-dramas exploring and re-enacting disasters of the 20th Century, from natural to military.
Where to Watch Season 1
7 Episodes
- Eruption at Mount St HelensE2
Eruption at Mount St HelensEruption at Mount St Helens. Rising almost 10,000 feet over Washington State, the volcano had not erupted for more than 100 years until May 1980, when its unexpected explosion unleashed a destructive force estimated to be 500 times the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. - San Francisco EarthquakeE4
San Francisco Earthquake17 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 RaceE5
The Fastnet Yacht RaceTerror 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 RescueE6
Iran Hostage RescueIn 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 EstoniaE7
The Sinking of The EstoniaOnce 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.
