Real Survival Stories

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 of willpower if he’s to make it out of the wilderness… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 and praying every day he will eventually make it home to his family… A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 of conditions, with the lives of his children in peril… A Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For more on this story read Rich's book Surviving a Miracle. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 will compel him to just keep going, driving him homewards… A Noiser production, written by Sarah Ward. If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 hailstones the size of oranges. With lightning crackling all around her, she is sent hurtling upwards - still clinging to her parachute. Soon, she’ll be higher than Everest and nearing the cruising altitude of a jumbo jet. Covered in ice, approaching the edge of the breathable atmosphere… how on earth does she make it down in one piece? A Noiser production, written by Sarah Ward. If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Noiser production, written by Nicole Edmunds. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Part 2 of The Adventure of the Speckled Band is live now and waiting for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 extract them… A Noiser production, written by Emily Webb. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 collapses near the summit, Dan must make a terrible choice. What happens next will change him forever… A Noiser production, written by Angus Gavan McHarg. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Rowan Coleman. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 to a watery grave? A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 alive… A Noiser production, written by Martin McNamara. For ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions If you have an amazing survival story of your own that you’d like to put forward for the show, let us know. Drop us an email at support@noiser.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 literature? And what led to this real-life sailor spending years of his life cut off from human contact? This is a Short History of the Real Robinson Crusoe. Follow Short History Of… wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes every Monday. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/short-history-of/view Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices