• RESCUE EMERGENCY

DESCRIPTION

Three tragic events are re-told through news footage, CGI and moving interviews with survivors and rescuers.

When faced with an avalanche careening down a mountainside at 150 kilometres per hour or an embassy siege turned into a dire hostage situation, what inspires ordinary people to become heroes? Rescue Emergency details these incredibly brave efforts of bystanders and rescuers in the most treacherous of situations.

This fast-paced new, three-part series uses dramatic rescue re-enactments, gripping archived news footage, survivor and rescuer testimony and state of the art CGI to share the stories of three frightening events, where everyday people and seasoned rescuers risked their safety to save others. From the 1980 Iranian Embassy 1980 to the terrifying Brighton hotel bombing and the 1999 Montroc avalanche – one of the deadliest avalanches in French history, this series weaves compelling tales of human courage and resilience.

The Brighton Bombing goes back to 1984, when the IRA detonated a massive bomb at Brighton’s Grand Hotel in an attempt to assassinate Margaret Thatcher and her government. With the devastated hotel near collapse, fire-fighters ignored the danger to help limit the death total to a mere five fatalities. Lord Tebbit, whose wife Margaret was seriously injured in the blast recounts his traumatic experience.

Iranian Embassy Siege recalls the six-day siege that developed after terrorists stormed the Iranian Embassy in London in April 1980. As the situation worsened and the terrorist leader threatened to begin killing his 26 hostages, we are shown rare footage of the SAS’s preparations to mount an audacious rescue that was applauded around the world.

Finally, Avalanche revisits the French village that was engulfed by 300,000 cubic metres of snow in February 1999. With the rescue services unable to reach the isolated hamlet, it was left to locals to risk their lives to dig out the people buried.

EPISODE GUIDE

  • Rescue Emergency: Iranian Embassy Siege
    On April 30, 1980 six terrorists stormed the Iranian embassy in London, taking 26 people hostage and setting a deadly ultimatum. Follow the unfolding events as the SAS makes a rescue attempt.
ADVERTISEMENT

PHOTOS

http://assets.natgeotv.com/Shows/112.jpg

National Geographic Channel