Episode 1
Munich Air Crash
1h
6 February 1958: the plane carrying Manchester United crashes during take-off in Germany, killing 23 of the 43 on board, including eight members of the "Busby Babes".
Where to watch Surviving Disaster
TV series
Surviving Disaster
2006TV-PG2 seasons6.7 / 10
Natural and man-made catastrophes retold by eyewitnesses and dramatic reconstructions.
Availability
Not streaming in United States
Checked Jul 22, 2026
Surviving Disaster premiered January 10, 2006. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Synopsis
Natural and man-made catastrophes retold by eyewitnesses and dramatic reconstructions.
Season 1 episodes
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 2
Eruption at Mount St Helens
1h
Eruption 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.
Where to watch Surviving DisasterEpisode 3
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
1h
April 1986: a blast at a Soviet nuclear plant emits 400 times more radiation than Hiroshima's bomb. Adrian Edmondson stars in a drama documentary recalling a catastrophe that the UN claims has killed at least 8,000.
Episode credits
Directed by Nick MurphyWritten by Nick MurphyGuest stars Adrian Edmondson, Vernon Dobtcheff, Alex Lowe, Roger Alborough, Michael Colgan, Bernard Hill, Adrian Hood, Nicholas Lumley
Episode 4
San Francisco Earthquake
1h
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.
Episode credits
Directed by Dan Reed
Episode 5
The Fastnet Yacht Race
1h
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.
Where to watch Surviving DisasterEpisode 6
Iran Hostage Rescue
1h
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.
Where to watch Surviving DisasterEpisode 7
The Sinking of The Estonia
1hfinale
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.
Where to watch Surviving DisasterEpisode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Available now in United States
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More about Surviving Disaster
Cast
Bernard HillHimself - Narrator
Adrian Edmondson
Vernon Dobtcheff
Alex Lowe
Roger Alborough
Michael Colgan
Adrian HoodNicholas Lumley
Credits
- Written by
- Nick Murphy
Production details
- Status
- Ended
- Series type
- Scripted
- Episodes
- 10
- Original language
- English
Networks & production
BBC OneUnited Kingdom
BBCUnited Kingdom
Themes
catastrophedisasternatural disaster