National geographic

Seconds From Disaster

Cert 16

National geographic

Seconds From Disaster

Cert 16

Paul Bernays/NGCI

Next transmissions on tv

Saturday 31 October 12pm
Paris Train Crash (Season 3)

Synopsis

Accounts of famous technological disasters and their subsequent investigations.

Episodes

Season 7

Season 7
Season 6
Season 5
Season 4
Season 3
Season 2
Season 1

Chopper Down
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Chopper Down: A look at Chinhook HC-2's fatal crash in Scotland which killed 25 people. Plus, all hell breaks loose when a US Black Hawk falls on the streets of Mogadishu in Somalia.
Deadly Details
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Deadly Details: A look at the cockpit fire that killed 229 people onboard Swiss Air 11 and how simple wear and tear caused the death of 520 passengers flying on Japan Airlines Flight 123.

Jonestown Cult Suicide
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Revealing how US congressman Leo Ryan exposed the true horror behind Reverend Jim Jones' religious community deep in the Guyanese jungle.
Fire In The Cockpit
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Relive the final moments onboard Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Canada in September 1998.
Black Hawk Down
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Black Hawk Down: A look at the decisions, tactics and events that turned a simple rescue mission into a catastrophe that killed 18 US rangers and hundreds of Somalian citizens.
Into The Death Zone
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Revealing how nine climbers lost their lives on Mount Everest in 1996, in the deadliest two-day period of the mountain's history.
Terrified Over Tokyo
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In the worst single-aircraft accident in aviation history, a Boeing 747 crashed into a mountain in 1985, killing 520 people. How did it happen?
Runaway Train
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It's a regular morning in the lively town of Amagasaki when a busy commuter train derails and crashes into an apartment building, killing over a hundred passengers and trapping hundreds more inside.
Nagasaki- The Forgotten Bomb
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Analyse the controversial claim that the second atomic bomb attack on Nagasaki was essential to bringing a swift end to World War II.
Norway Massacre
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On July 22, 2011, a gunman goes on a terrorist rampage – starting with an explosion in Oslo and ending with the slaughter of dozens of teenagers.
Sinking The Coventry
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Nineteen sailors lost their lives when HMS Coventry was bombed in the Falklands War. Find out why the ship was unable to defend herself.
Chinook Helicopter Crash
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25 members of the Northern Ireland intelligence community lost their lives in a helicopter crash in 1994. Was pilot error really to blame?

The Bismarck
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Naval historian Andrew Lambert takes a closer look at the Royal Navy's battle with Bismarck and how it changed the course of World War Two.
Mountain Tsunami
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In 1963, a tsunami hit Europe's tallest dam and swamped the valley, taking over 2,000 lives. A number of systematic errors led to the tragedy.
Waco Cult
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When a 51-day siege at a religious cult's ranch leads to an FBI attempt to force them out with tear gas, a fire erupts, killing nearly 80 people.
Fukushima
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With Japan facing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, an expert reveals the critical chain of events which led to the Fukushima crisis.
The Deepwater Horizon
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A look at the series of decisions and failings that led to the the world's biggest accidental marine oil spill and the deaths of 11 rig workers.
Mumbai Massacre
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On 26th November 2008, terrorists attack two luxury hotels, a Jewish study centre, a café and a train station in Mumbai, leaving 166 dead.

9/11
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Deconstructing the tragic events and security lapses that led to the worst attacks on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor
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Peacetime regulations meant that the American fleet in Hawaii were unprepared for the surprise Japanese attack on December 7th, 1941.
Cable Car Collision
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Analysing the circumstances surrounding a tragic accident in 1998, which saw 19 tourists and a cable car operator fall 300 feet to their deaths.
Paddington Rail Disaster
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Survivors recount the events of October 5th, 1999, when a London-bound express collided with a rush-hour commuter train, killing 32 people.
Death In Mid-Air
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When two planes collided above Germany in 2002, 71 people died. Having lost his family, Vitaly Kaloyev murdered the air traffic controller.
Bhopal
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In 1984, an Indian city became the site of history's biggest man-made disaster, when, in a few hours, 3,000 people choked to death on toxic gas.
Tornado Outbreak
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In 1974, a storm erupted into 148 tornadoes, killing 315 people and destroying thousands of homes. With a team of scientists, Professor Tetsuya Fujita investigates the worst storm of the 20th century.
Eruption On Montserrat
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In 1995, for the first time in over 300 years, the Soufriere Hills Volcano in Montserrat erupts. Two years later, a second eruption occurs, this time with deadly results.
Texas Oil Explosion
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Texas City is home to one of the largest refineries in the USA, but in March 2005 it became ground zero for a huge chemical accident.
Space Shuttle Challenger
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On 28 January 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger was trying to make history by putting the first civilian in space, but 73 seconds into its fateful flight the shuttle was engulfed in a ball of flames.

Plane Crash In Queens
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Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks a commercial flight crashed into a residential area of New York. Discover the cause of this disaster and how it rocked the aviation industry.
Skywalk Collapse
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In 1981, at the Hyatt hotel in Kansas City, suspended walkways come away from their fixings, plummeting onto revellers below and leaving 114 dead and 186 injured. What caused this structural failure?
Titanic
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Take a look at one of the most monumental disasters in maritime history – the sinking of the Titanic – a catastrophic event that claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people.
Munich Olympic Massacre
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The 1972 Munich Olympics were meant to show the world a new Germany but instead ended in the massacre of 11 athletes. Examine how an audacious rescue operation culminated in severe bloodshed.
Florida Swamp Air Crash
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On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 en route to Atlanta takes off, with no one aware there's a fire in the cargo hold. Nine minutes into the flight, the jet crashes into the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people on board.
Aircraft Carrier Explosion
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In 1967 a tragic accident on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal claimed the lives of 134 men and almost destroyed the ship. Discover how one fire caused a chain reaction which ended in disaster.
King's Cross Fire
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Superstore Collapse
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In less than 20 seconds, a five-storey exclusive department store in Seoul crashes to the ground, killing hundreds of people.
US Embassy Bombings
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Asian Tsunami
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The tsunami of 26th December 2004 was the biggest natural disaster in modern history, claiming over 200,000 lives. What made this tsunami so devastating and how can we prevent it from happening again?
Russia's Nuclear Sub Nightmare
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Plane Crash In The Potomac
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Why did a Boeing 737 crash into the Potomac River moments after take-off from Washington National Airport?
Comet Air Crash
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In 1954, a plane en-route from Rome to the UK crashes into the Mediterranean, killing everyone onboard. Post-mortem examinations reveal strange injuries to many victims.
Chicago Air Crash
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In Chicago in 1979, a packed aircraft crashes into a trailer park community – 31 seconds after take-off – killing 273 people. The cause of the crash propels aviation maintenance rules into the future.
Paris Train Crash
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In June 1988, an out-of-control train ploughed into the back of a packed commuter train at a Paris station. Fifty-six people died in what, at the time, was the worst disaster in French railway history.
Next Showing
Saturday 31 October 12pm
TP
On National Geographic

Space Shuttle Columbia
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The shuttle Columbia broke apart as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere after a successful 16-day mission in space, killing all seven crew. NASA had not suffered such a loss since the Challenger in 1986. What caused the accident?
Alpine Tsunami
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Although the popular alpine resort of Galtur had been declared safe from avalanches, this idyllic winter paradise was changed within minutes when it became buried under 170,000 tonnes of snow.
Alpine Tsunami
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Amsterdam Air Crash
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Motorway Plane Crash
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A Boeing 737-400's engine fails shortly after take-off on a routine flight. The flight diverts to a nearby airport, but something goes wrong and the plane crashes into a busy freeway, killing 47 people. What went so wrong?
Mount St. Helens Eruption
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After laying dormant for 123 years, Mount St Helens erupts. In a matter of minutes, falling ash turns day to night, 230 square miles are laid waste and 57 people lose their lives in the biggest recorded explosion of all time.
Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster
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On March 6th, 1987, the Herald of Free Enterprise set sail from Zeebrugge, but 20 minutes after leaving port the ferry began to capsize. 193 people lost their lives in Britain's worst peacetime maritime accident since the Titanic.
Kobe Earthquake
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In January 1995, the residents of Kobe, Japan, woke up to a violent earthquake rocking the city. Within 20 seconds almost 400,000 buildings were destroyed, leaving 250,000 people homeless and more than 5,500 people dead.
Crash Landing At Sioux City
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On July 19th, 1989, United Airlines flight 232 experienced a failure of its tail-mounted engine. The plane dropped out of the sky and onto the runway at Sioux City, erupting in a massive fireball. Of the 285 passengers, 112 died.
The Bali Bombing
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On October 12th, 2002, the island of Bali was stunned by the worst terrorist attacks since 9/11, as bombs exploded in Kuta Beach, a popular strip of nightclubs. 202 people lost their lives and many suffered horrific burns.
Hotel Collapse Singapore
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In March 1986, the Hotel New World, a popular Singapore budget hotel, collapsed. In less than a minute the occupants were buried under a huge pile of debris. Rescue teams eventually saved 17 people, but 33 died.
Explosion In Puerto Rico
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In November 1996 a commercial building in San Juan, Puerto Rico, exploded due to a natural gas leak, killing 33 people. Investigations revealed that an inactive gas line leaked though a corrosion hole caused by excavation damage.
TWA Flight 800
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It's July 17th, 1996, and TWA flight 800 from New York to Paris is running 90 minutes late. In less than 30 minutes the Boeing 747 explodes, killing everyone on board and prompting the biggest crash investigation in US history.
The Hindenburg
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The largest airship ever built and the pride of the Nazi government, the Hindenburg met its fatal demise in May 1937. Approaching Lakehurst naval station in New Jersey, fire broke out. In under a minute the airship was destroyed.

Crash Of The Concorde
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It was the symbol of luxury and cutting-edge technology, but in 2000 an accident on takeoff claimed the lives of 109 passengers and crew. What went wrong?
Tunnel Inferno
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In 1999 a freight truck caught fire in the seven-mile Mont Blanc tunnel, creating a deadly inferno and one of the world's worst tunnel accidents.
The Bomb In Oklahoma City
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The Bomb In Oklahoma City: The 1995 blast caused a nine storey federal building to collapse floor by floor. How did some people survive when so many lost their lives? [S]
Fire On The Star
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In 1990 a lethal fire broke out on the Scandinavian Star ferry during the early hours while passengers slept. Many were overcome by fumes and died. Investigators piece together the events and ask whether it was accident or arson.
Derailment At Eschede
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Behind every disaster lies a catalogue of events, a series of trigger points that combine to create a catastrophe. "Seconds From Disaster" examines those pivotal moments, some of which changed the course of history itself.
Wreck Of The Sunset Limited
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Wreck Of The Sunset Limited: An express train was derailed and 47 passengers killed after an Alabama towboat captain unknowingly bumped a rail bridge in thick fog.
Meltdown In Chernobyl
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Behind every disaster lies a catalogue of events, a series of trigger points that combine to create a catastrophe. "Seconds From Disaster" examines those pivotal moments, some of which changed the course of history itself.
Explosion In The North Sea
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Piper Alpha oil rig churned out 120,000 barrels of oil a day until a lapse in communication during maintenance led to a gas leak and a ferocious fire. The resulting explosions killed 167 men and destroyed the rig.
Seconds From Disaster
+
Behind every disaster lies a catalogue of events, a series of trigger points that combine to create a catastrophe. "Seconds From Disaster" examines those pivotal moments, some of which changed the course of history itself.
Seconds From Disaster
+
Stava dam consisted of two basins, one on top of the other. Due to poor design they could not cope with waste from a nearby mining operation and collapsed, causing sludge to flow down the valley to the village of Stava at 90kmph.
Flood At Stava Dam
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Flood At Stava Dam: In July, 1985, Italy's Stava dam collapsed, engulfing two villages in a tidal wave of sludge. What caused the disaster in which 286 people lost their lives?
Seconds From Disaster
+
The world's worst aviation accident occured when two jumbo jets collided in fog on the runway at Tenerife. Both planes, fully loaded with fuel, burst into flames leaving 583 people dead.
Seconds From Disaster
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On 11th September 2001, an American Airlines flight was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the Pentagon. The ensuing fire weakened the building and it eventually collapsed in places.