Real Survival Stories

What happens when millions of electrical volts strike the human body? We meet a man who knows first hand. In 2012, Andrej Orogvani and two friends head into Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains to enjoy three peaceful days of backpacking. But the weather has other plans. Stranded atop a peak with thunderclouds closing in, it’s only a matter of time before the three pals bear the full force of one of the gre...

In 2007 a once-in-a-lifetime cyclone approaches the UK. Royal Navy search & rescue diver, Jay O’Donnell, finds himself in the eye of the storm. A tiny lifeboat stuffed with crewmen is at the mercy of the furious sea. As Jay flies in to help, it soon becomes clear this mission is beyond anything he’s ever encountered. And if he’s to save these 26 souls, as things go from bad to worse, Jay must also...

Dik Barton has an amazing job. His 9 to 5 is spent recovering artefacts from the world’s most iconic shipwreck. In August 1994, Dik leads a dive to the bottom of the Atlantic - to explore an uncharted section of RMS Titanic. The mission is going off without a hitch, until their sub is knocked off course by a freak ocean current. Trapped within the wreckage, with dwindling oxygen supplies, Dik must...

Rulon Gardner is no stranger to adversity. At the 2000 Olympic Games he won gold in Greco-Roman wrestling, against all the odds. But in 2002, he finds himself in a different kind of fight - a monumental clash of man versus nature in the mountains of Wyoming. A series of wrong turns sees an afternoon of snowmobiling veer off the rails. With the daylight disappearing, Rulon will need every last drop...

A diver explores the depths of Loch Ness - on the lookout for a submerged World War Two plane. But suddenly, Hugh Williams finds himself trapped underwater. Something grabs him from below… and whatever it is, it’s not letting go. With his air supply running down, Hugh must make a series of pivotal choices. One wrong move could spell the end… A Noiser production, written by Anne-Marie Bullock. For...

We return to Jeff Frazier as he prepares for an audacious prison break. In the dead of night, with the guards distracted, he’ll make his move. Can he overcome the many obstacles in his path and escape into the jungle? Or will he be caught… and if so, what punishment awaits? A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noise...

An American humanitarian worker falls prey to a ruthless gang. In April 2023, Jeff Frazier is running a relief programme in Haiti - a beautiful Caribbean nation which has, in recent years, struggled terribly with extreme poverty and crime. One day, during his work, Jeff is suddenly taken hostage. From a heavily fortified compound, he will embark on a terrifying ordeal; negotiating with his captors...

An Indian naval commander takes leave from the military to take part in a unique nautical contest. No GPS, no computers - the purest test of sailing skill there is. For Abhilash Tomy, it’s a dream come true… until a catastrophe in the Indian Ocean changes everything. With a broken spine, thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, he might as well be lost in space… A Noiser production, written b...

In 2014, the Greenbergs are enjoying a restorative family holiday on Kauai - a wild and stunning Hawaiian island used as a location for the Jurassic Park films. And it’s here that the Greenbergs suddenly find themselves in a terrifying ordeal worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. On a leisurely hike, a flash flood throws the family into turmoil. Father Rich will find himself battling the most brutal...

This week, another visit to the Real Survival Stories archive. We’ll be back as normal, every week, after a short festive break. Jeremy Evans is a man most at home hiking and fishing in the Canadian wilderness. But one day, on a solo camping trip, he stumbles across a grizzly and her cub. Scarcely surviving a frenzied attack, Jeremy is left battered and broken. Despite everything, something inside...

This week, we delve into the Real Survival Stories archive. In case you missed them the first time around, there are over 70 stories in the back catalogue available to listen to now. We’ll be back as normal, every week, after a short festive break. A picturesque paragliding flight becomes a terrifying nightmare when a massive storm rolls in. Sucked into the clouds, Ewa Wiśnierska is pelted by hail...

A private plane hits a blizzard somewhere near the Arctic Circle. With their instruments down and visibility gone, Viv Bird and her two friends crash land onto a glacier. No one knows they’re alive, and they don’t know where they are. Marooned in the ruins of their plane, the three companions must battle horrendous conditions - hoping their sense of humour will be just enough to keep them alive… A...

A brand-new release from the Noiser Network. Join Hugh Bonneville on a thrilling journey through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Holmes mysteries - read in their original, masterful form. If you enjoy this taster episode, search ’Sherlock Holmes Short Stories’ in your podcast app and hit follow for more episodes. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/sherlock-holmes-short-stories-1 P...

In Papua New Guinea, deep in the jungle, a group sets off on a rafting trip. 17-year-old Zamon Kingi and his friend Andrew are having a blast… until the fun abruptly stops. When their raft hits a waterfall, Andrew and another member of the party are separated from the group. Zamon will join the rescue effort, on a mission to find his friend - before the crocodiles do… A Noiser production, written...

A recently retired theatre teacher sets off on a later-life adventure. Morrie Piersol joins a stunning ocean voyage from the US to Iceland. But in the North Atlantic, his grand retirement plan becomes something far more sinister. Morrie will face freezing temperatures, the constant threat of drowning, and memory blackouts. And even if the crew can be located, it’ll take a monumental effort to extr...

In 1991 Mount Everest is a very different place than it is today. A young American arrives at the remote outpost of Base Camp intent on tackling the planet’s tallest peak. Using the last of his student loan, Dan Mazur has blagged his way onto a Soviet climbing team. But his unlikely friendship with the group will come under the severest strain as things unravel on the mountain. When his partner co...

Captain Brian Udell is an elite fighter pilot at the top of his game. But there are still some scenarios that defy all expectations. When his F15 suffers a major malfunction, Brian must hit eject… while travelling at supersonic speed. It’s never been done before - for very good reason. This routine mission is about to become an extraordinary scientific experiment... A Noiser production, written by...

As a wildfire breaks out in Minnesota, a ranger crew is dispatched to clear the forest of members of the public. But unbeknownst to Todd Stefanic and his colleagues, this will rapidly become the largest and fastest-moving blaze in state history. Penned in on all sides, Todd must dodge the flames amidst the woodland’s waterways. But will these lakes and rivers provide a safe haven? Or condemn them...

A mother and daughter relax into ten days of luxury on a tropical island. But fate has other plans. A day trip gone wrong leaves Michelle Hamilton alone in a small canoe, drifting out to sea. Over three terrifying days she’ll come face to face with punishing weather and apex predators. And her own beliefs will be profoundly changed… A Noiser production, written by Emily Webb. For ad-free listening...

Two men soar over the majestic Himalayas, risking their lives to save others. Richard Lehner and Daniel Aufdenblatten must extract a group of climbers marooned deep in the Annapurna range. With time and oxygen running out, they’ll employ an audacious rescue technique… dangling Richard on the end of a rope, hanging beneath a helicopter at 23,000 feet… A Noiser production, written by Fiona Ford. For...

In Tasmania, a deadly seismic tremor brings Todd Russell’s world crashing down on top of him. As a miner, he’s used to working far underground - extracting precious metals from the deep. But when he finds himself trapped in a tiny air pocket, Todd must draw on untapped deposits of fortitude if he’s to survive the unsurvivable… A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus...

A tranquil boat trip around Indonesia becomes a terrifying test of will and endurance. Els Visser is a trainee doctor enjoying some well deserved downtime. But when her tourist vessel starts sinking in the middle of the ocean, she embarks on a life-or-death slog through the treacherous waters. A live volcanic island offers her best hope of survival. And not everyone will make it through the ordeal...

This is a taster episode from our sister show, Short History Of… which is also hosted by John Hopkins. Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe is one of the most widely published books in history. This story of a man stranded alone on an island is said to be second only to the Bible in its number of translations. But who was Defoe’s inspiration for creating one of the best-known protagonists in...

A private flight to Scotland runs into serious trouble. With his passengers safely on board and sipping bubbly, pilot Jonathan Moss takes off on what should be a quick and easy job. But when the weather takes a drastic turn and his aircraft loses power, the situation quickly becomes anything but routine. Without lights, navigation, radio or heating, Jonathan will have to estimate and improvise his...

Most don’t make it to the finish. Some don’t survive. Two months into a monumental sailing race, Pete Goss is beset by the worst storm he’s ever faced. And then… a distress call comes in. A fellow skipper is sinking and needs urgent help. Suddenly, Pete’s battle to stay alive becomes the most daring of rescue missions… A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. For more on this story read Pete’...