When the Americans finally act out and decide to fight for their lives, they?re left alone in an inhospitable mountain rage full of rebel militants and a trigger happy army. Far more than just a rescue mission, the climbers have to cross miles of treacherous terrain in the black of night with hopes that they won?t be mistaken for an insurgent militia by the Kyrgyz army. And if they do make it back to civilization, will they be able to make it all the way back home to the US. And if they do will anyone believe their story?

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When Luigi Mangione allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare?s CEO, the media called it a senseless crime. But online, a different story emerged?one of rage, reckoning, and a suspected killer turned folk hero. More than just a true crime podcast, LUIGI, hosted by Jesse Weber, dares to look beyond the crime and the accused to explore a cultural tipping point in America, asking you to decide - is the status quo enough, or is it time for a cultural reckoning?

Listen to Law&Crime?s LUIGI exclusively on Wondery+ and follow the show page to keep up on all the latest developments. You can join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Visit www.wondery.com/links/luigi and start your free trial now!

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Days without food or water start to weaken the young climbers as their captors push them further into the mountains and further from civilization. But their captors are starting to lose steam too. On a cold dark evening the Americans are left alone with only one of their kidnappers and it dawns on them: there won?t be many more moments where they might be able to overtake their heavily armed captor. But will they have the courage to act?

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After being kidnapped by rebel militants in a remote region of Kyrgyzstan, four American rock climbers are forced at gunpoint toward the Uzbekistan border. But their captors are being trailed by the Kygyz army. Soon, the unwitting climbers find themselves in the middle of a firefight of epic proportions and they have to hide to stay alive. As night falls, the climbers are forced on the move again and they begin to realize if they want to survive they must escape on their own.

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In August of the year 2000, four American rock climbers set out to explore the majesty of the Pamir Alai Mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. But only a week into their expedition, they?re taken captive by rebel militants. The group is forced to hike through brutal terrain under the cover of night to avoid detection by the Kyrgyz army. With little to no food or water provided by their captors, the young climbing team had to struggle through severe dehydration and hunger. Finally, they realized they would have to fight for their lives to escape. It's a thrilling story of survival in the face of violence and terror, and doing whatever it takes to make it home alive.

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On May 22, 2018, Claire Nelson set out on what she thought would be a four-hour hike in Southern California?s Joshua Tree National Park. An experienced hiker, Claire packed plenty of water and followed an established trail in a park visited by millions of people each year. But after taking a wrong turn, she slipped off a boulder and shattered her pelvis. Injured and exposed to the elements, she found herself alone in the desert in a fight for her life. On this special episode, Claire Nelson joins the show to narrate her four-day odyssey of survival.

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In honor of the 100-year anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, Maine musher Jonathan Nathaniel Hayes is recreating the run. And he?s doing it with a team descended directly from Leonhard Seppala?s original dogs. Today, Hayes joins host Mike Corey to talk about the inspiration and preparations to travel hundreds of frozen miles across Alaska. Hayes is the author of The True Tails of Togo the Sled Dog! 

Dive deeper into thrilling stories of survival with curated book recommendations from the Amazon Books Editors at www.amazon.com/ATObooks

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With a blizzard gaining force, the Mayor of Nome decides the safest choice is to halt the relay, rather than risk losing lives and the serum itself. But the storm makes it hard to spread the news of the Mayor?s order. Musher Gunnar Kaasen and his unlikely lead dog Balto decide to push ahead, battling whiteout conditions and 80-mile-an-hour gusts in their quest to make it to Nome. 

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The diphtheria outbreak in Nome is spreading fast as a relay of dogsled teams races across Alaska, carrying the only available medicine. Leonard Seppala knows that if he and his lead dog Togo take a shortcut across the frozen Norton Sound, they can shave off precious time and make it to Nome faster. But Seppala also knows he risks getting blown out to sea or falling through a crack in the ice, losing his team and the precious medicine he?s carrying.  

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It?s the winter of 1925 and in the remote town of Nome, Alaska, children are dying from a diphtheria outbreak that?s spreading fast. But in the dead of winter, the town is nearly impossible to reach and its supply of medicine is dwindling. The only option is to send the medicine by dogsled, in a relay led by one of Alaska?s best mushers, Leonhard Seppala. The teams will have to cross nearly 700 snow-covered miles at breakneck speed, but an epic blizzard is on its way. 

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In 1984, Carol Shaben was just 22-years-old when her father, politician Larry Shaben, narrowly survived the Wapiti 402 crash. Nearly 30 years later, she chronicled the crash and the unlikely friendships it forged in her book, Into the Abyss. Today, Carol joins host Cassie De Pecol to discuss how the experience shaped the lives of the four survivors, especially her father.

Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts, and dive deeper into thrilling stories of resilience and survival with curated book recommendations from the Amazon Books Editors at www.amazon.com/ATObooks

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As the freezing night drags on, the four survivors of a plane crash in the remote Canadian wilderness are running out of things to burn. As hypothermia sets in and their injuries worsen, their spirits begin to falter. Meanwhile, rescuers battle brutal weather conditions in a desperate race to find them before it?s too late.

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The survivors of a plane crash in the remote Canadian wilderness free themselves from the wreckage and must rely on the only uninjured passenger among them?a prisoner who was being escorted to face charges?to survive the frigid conditions. Meanwhile, rescue teams scramble to locate the downed plane, but their search is hampered by the dense cloud cover. 

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On an icy October night in 1984, a young, overworked pilot took off from Edmonton, Alberta, in a small commuter plane with nine passengers aboard, including a politician, a cop and his prisoner. Battling thick cloud cover and the accumulation of ice on the aircraft, the pilot misjudged his descent. Moments later, the plane collided with a hillside in the remote Canadian wilderness.

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In his Netflix sports docuseries Losers, director Mickey Duzyj explores how people respond to failure in a culture where ?winning is everything? ? and how failure can sometimes lead to greater success. It?s not surprising then that Duzyj tackles Mauro Prosperi?s survival story, and the ripple effects his journey had on Mauro and his loved ones. Today, Duzyj joins host Mike Corey to discuss the series, and his journey with Mauro back to the Sahara to find the marabout that was crucial to Mauro?s survival. 

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Mauro Prosperi has lost count of how many days he?s been lost. In despair, he attempts to take his own life. But when he wakes up still alive, he decides he has to keep going ? even if that means climbing over a mountain range ? and praying that on the other side, he?ll finally find help. 

In this episode, we discuss suicide and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached at 988. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is available at 1-800-950-6264.

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Mauro Prosperi wakes up alone and lost in the middle of the Sahara Desert. He?s forced to drink his own urine, and tries and fails to attract the attention of a rescue plane by burning his belongings. Finally, he takes shelter in an abandoned Islamic burial shrine, where he eats bats and drinks their blood. 

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It?s April 14, 1994, and an Italian policeman and ultramarathoner named Mauro Prosperi is running the world?s most challenging footrace: the Marathon des Sables, across the Sahara Desert in Morocco. But when a sandstorm kicks up, Mauro finds himself hopelessly lost.

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On December 9, 2019, Pastor Geoff Hopkins and his 22-year-old daughter, Lillani, visited Whakaari/White Island to celebrate Geoff?s 50th birthday?a long-held dream. But as their boat began its return to the mainland, the volcano suddenly erupted, leaving 47 people on the island to endure its blast. Geoff and Lillani quickly found themselves swept up in a rescue operation. Now, they join host Cassie De Pecol to share the unforgettable story of that day.

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Aboard the Phoenix, the boat carrying many of the survivors back to the mainland, passengers tend to the wounded, who are suffering now from shock in the wake of their terrible burns. Back on White Island, Mark Law and his colleagues come face to face with the awful impact of the eruption. With limited space on their helicopters, they're confronted with a dilemma -- who to evacuate, and who to leave behind.

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As a wave of burning steam, ash and debris rolls down toward the shore, 47 tourists and guides sprint for cover, but there is no avoiding the blast. Meanwhile, a boat full of tourists that just left White Island returns to help. And back on the mainland, a local helicopter pilot named Mark Law sees the eruption and makes a fateful decision to fly out to look for survivors.

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On December 9, 2019, 47 tourists and guides set off to visit New Zealand?s most active volcano ? Whakaari / White Island ? located 30 miles off the country?s north coast. Visitors are amazed as they hike up to the edge of the blue lake at its center, and peer down into the steaming mouth of the crater. But on their way back down, awe turns to horror when the volcano suddenly erupts and blasts a wave of super-heated ash and steam right at them.

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Unforeseen conditions have put the world's strongest climbers to the test as they battle their way down the mountain. Before it?s over, the savage mountain will bring on more avalanches and below-zero temperatures. It?s a race against the clock for the remaining climbers to get off the mountain before it?s too late.

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An international group of climbers are close to summiting one of the world?s tallest, and most dangerous, mountains. Their goal was to reach the peak by mid-afternoon and get down before dark when temperatures drop to 40 below and the thin air and darkness can leave climbers confused and lost. But problems with the rope line have put them behind and they are using all of their strength to push past the traverse. The summit is so close? but so is nightfall, and not all of them will make it back.

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In the summer of 2008, mountaineers from eight different countries gather at the foot of the world?s second tallest mountain, K2. All of them have a single goal: reach the summit. But to do that they will need to undertake one most difficult, and dangerous, climbs on earth. Sunny mornings can suddenly transform into white out conditions. Avalanches drop from overhead without warning. The technical challenge is so great, one in four who attempt it won?t come down. But in early August, this doesn?t stop more than two dozen climbers from attempting the feat.  

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By sheer chance, an American bomber pilot on a routine test flight has spotted the survivors of U.S.S. Indianapolis, who have been floating in the middle of the Philippine Sea for over three days. But rescuing them will be easier said than done. The survivors are hundreds of miles from the nearest land, and the ocean waters are getting rough. To get the men out of the water as quickly as possible, some of the rescuers will have to put their own lives on the line.

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It?s been two days since U.S.S. Indianapolis sank, and the number of survivors is dwindling. They?re being picked off by sharks, and driven insane by sleep deprivation, dehydration, and saltwater poisoning. As they hope and pray for a rescue, they will encounter a new enemy that none of them could have imagined, even in their worst nightmares.  

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The nine hundred men who survived the torpedo attack on the U.S.S. Indianapolis are either drifting in the sea, fighting strong currents and swells, or clinging to rafts. They?re at the mercy of the ocean, hundreds of miles from land, with dwindling supplies and no drinking water. And soon, they?ll have to confront a terrifying new challenge ? shark attacks.

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In the final weeks of World War II, the Navy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine in the middle of the Philippine Sea. The nine hundred survivors found themselves stranded in the middle of the open ocean, many without rafts or life vests, wondering when ? or if ? help was coming.

This is the story of the greatest sea disaster in U.S. naval history, and the courageous men who survived it.

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Diver Ed Punchard loved his job and the people on Piper Alpha, even if it meant working on a noisy rig for weeks at a time, far out in the North Sea. Being part of a dive team meant everyone trained hard and relied on each other to stay alive. But nothing could have prepared Ed and his colleagues for what happened on July 6th, 1988. Today, Ed joins host Mike Corey to share his experience of the Piper Alpha disaster and its aftermath. Ed is author of Piper Alpha: A Survivor?s Story. He also made the documentary Paying For The Piper.

In this episode, we discuss suicide and depression. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is available at 1-800-950-6264.

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At 10:52pm, Piper Alpha is hit by the biggest explosion yet. Soon, the rig begins to break apart and tumble into the ocean, dooming the men still trapped inside. Meanwhile, rescuers like Z-boat commander James McNeill risk their lives to pull men from the debris-strewn water beneath the burning rig.

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As the fire continues to rage on Piper Alpha, rescuers in small motorboats race to get workers off the burning oil rig. Diver Ed Punchard has his men climb down a rope to safety, while electrician Bob Ballantyne tries to lead his friends down a series of smoke-filled stairways. Then, when another huge explosion rocks the rig, some men are forced to leap into the ocean, or risk being burned to death.

Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now.

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After an explosion rocks the Piper Alpha oil rig, a huge, smoky fire begins to spread, taking down the rig?s power supply and communications equipment. Workers hurry to their evacuation stations, and a state-of-the-art rescue ship, the Tharos, moves into position to battle the blaze and get men off the platform. But soon, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary fire. 

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On July 6th, 1988, workers clock in to a typical night shift aboard Piper Alpha, the world?s largest offshore oil rig, in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland. Then, around 10 p.m., a series of mistakes leads to a gas leak and explosion. Soon, 226 men find themselves trapped on the burning platform, in what will become one of the deadliest man-made disasters in history. 

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On a warm day in April 2017, Outside Magazine writer Kyle Dickman was hiking near Yosemite National Park with his family and infant son. But in an instant, the idyllic day turned south. Kyle felt a quick whap above his ankle, looked down and saw a diamond pattern in the grass. He'd been bitten by a rattlesnake. On this special episode of Against the Odds, Kyle shares the story of the race against time to save his life, and what his brush with death taught him about life, risk, and the meaning of family.

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When Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Mount Everest in 1953, high-altitude climbing was only done by the most elite mountaineers. But that changed in the early 1990s, when veteran climbers began leading amateur clients up the world?s tallest mountain for a hefty fee. Today, journalist Will Cockrell joins Host Cassie De Pecol to talk about the history of the Everest guiding industry ? from the early Western-led companies to the Nepali-owned ventures today. Cockrell is the author of Everest, Inc.: The Renegades and Rogues who Built an Industry at the Top of the World.

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After a severe blizzard engulfs Mount Everest on May 10th, fifteen people are left stranded on the mountain, unable to find their way back to camp, or too weak to even try. In the early hours of May 11th, rescue efforts are launched to save people before they succumb to altitude sickness or hypothermia. Climbers, and friends down below, must face the sad reality that the odds of them surviving are slim. But, due to heroic acts, not all is lost.

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As the climbers descend from the summit, it becomes a race against time to get back to camp before dark. But a severe blizzard slows their progress to a crawl, and altitude sickness starts to take hold. Some climbers get stuck in the upper reaches of the mountain, while others get lost not far from camp. As darkness falls, the stranded face the terrifying reality of spending the night outside, where oxygen deprivation and hypothermia could easily take their lives.

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As the climbers make their final push for the summit, time is of the essence. They must make it to the top before 2 p.m. to ensure they get back to camp before dark. But due to delays, most of them don?t reach the summit until late in the afternoon, and by then, everyone is exhausted and oxygen is running low. Worst of all, a severe storm is moving in fast. As daylight fades, climbers must hurry or they?ll be trapped in the Death Zone.

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In May 1996, two expert mountaineers and their clients set off to climb the world?s tallest peak ? Mount Everest. Many of the clients have no high altitude experience and have paid upwards of $65,000 to be guided up the mountain by competing companies: Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness. As the two expeditions prepare to make their summit attempt, hurricane-force winds threaten to end their climb. Leaders, Rob Hall and Scott Fisher, must make a decision: turn around, or keep pushing for the top?

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When author and historian Hampton Sides was deep into researching another polar expedition, he stumbled upon the tragic journey of USS Jeannette. He couldn?t believe Captain De Long?s voyage wasn?t common knowledge. The 33-man crew endured extreme hardship, and only 13 survived what Sides calls ?the American Shackleton story.? Hampton Sides joins host Mike Corey to share his own story of tracing the forgotten voyage for his book In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette.

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After months of trekking across the polar ice, the crew of USS Jeannette finally reach open water. Now, they must endure a harrowing ocean crossing in three small, leaky boats to reach Siberia, where they hope to make contact with the native residents, and beg for food and shelter. But finding help in the frozen, maze-like swamps of Siberia?s Lena Delta is easier said than done ? and another punishing winter is closing in.

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It?s June 1881, and USS Jeannette has been crushed between ice floes and sunk to the bottom of the Arctic Sea. The crew now find themselves stranded on the ice, a thousand miles from Siberia, the nearest inhabited land. If they?re ever going to reach it, they?ll have to endure a brutal march over an inhospitable icescape.

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Trapped in polar pack ice, the crew of USS Jeannette settle in for a long, dark winter. As the temperature drops and the ice floes press against her sides, the ship risks suffering grave damage. Morale drops, as the sailors begin to wonder if they?ll ever return safely from the endless expanse of ice. 

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It?s September 1879 and the crew of USS Jeannette encounters pack ice that?s thicker than they expected, due to unseasonably cold weather. Captain George De Long is at a loss for how to push through it until the ship?s engineer George Melville proposes an ingenuous solution. But as the arctic winter looms, De Long isn?t sure how long Melville?s plan will work. Their expedition risks getting trapped in one of the harshest environments on Earth.  

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In July 1879, 33 men set sail aboard USS Jeannette on a two-year mission to become the first humans to reach the North Pole. Though many other expeditions have failed, Captain George De Long is confident that a warm northbound current will give them enough momentum to escape getting stuck in the treacherous arctic pack ice. But not long after the journey begins, De Long and his crew realize their journey will be far more daunting than they could have ever imagined.

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After a week of unrelenting disasters?and with Tokyo itself now under threat?the managers of the Fukushima nuclear power plant are forced to evacuate all but the most essential staff. But with the help of an elite firefighting force called the Hyper Rescue Squad, the remaining few rally for one last battle to avert a catastrophic meltdown.

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Now contending with multiple damaged reactors, engineers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant hatch a series of increasingly desperate plans to prevent a total meltdown. But several explosions and the loss of vital cooling pumps bring the entire plant to the brink of chaos. As the crisis worsens, it becomes clear that the very future of Japan is at stake.

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Crippled by a tsunami of unprecedented scale, one of the reactors at Japan?s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is in danger of melting down. To save it, workers must do the unthinkable: Vent radioactive steam into the atmosphere, to avoid a larger catastrophe as explosive gasses build up inside the reactor core. And they must risk exposing themselves to dangerous levels of radiation to do it.

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In March 2011, one of the largest earthquakes in history struck eastern Japan, followed by a massive tsunami. This one-two punch then caused a third disaster?a total loss of power at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Employees at the plant found themselves scrambling to cool down the reactors, and avoid a deadly meltdown.

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