National Geographic: Situation Critical — Season 1

Aired 12 June 2007 • 47 min

One of the most dramatic police gun battles ever waged on American soil took place in Hollywood in 1997. Go inside the violent stand-off as the bandits fire over 1,100 rounds of ammunition and shoot nine police officers and two civilians.

Aired 24 July 2007 • 47 min

In 2001 Afghanistan, at the start of the war on terror, a pro-American Afghan army double-crossed and imprisoned Taliban fighters. A violent uprising begins when the Taliban fighters overpower their guards, seize weapons and open fire.

Aired 17 July 2007 • 47 min

In war-torn Sierra Leone in 2000, thousands of armed rebels lived in the jungle. When members of the Royal Irish Rangers were ambushed and taken hostage, the British government launched a risky and grueling rescue mission.

Aired 26 June 2007 • 47 min

Two days after Apollo 13's launch, an oxygen tank on board burst and the situation became perilous—200,000 miles (321,868 kilometers) above Earth. Personal accounts bring one of the most famous space rescues in history to life.

Aired 19 June 2007 • 47 min

In 1995, U.S. Air Force Cpt. O'Grady was patrolling the skies above war-torn Bosnia when a Serb missile hit his fighter jet. Upon impact, O'Grady was safely ejected, but his parachute sailed into hostile territory and gunmen were on his trail.

Aired 3 July 2007 • 47 min

The 54th Sydney to Hobart yacht race turned into one of the worst sporting disasters in history. Almost 100 vessels faced brutal 90-mph winds and towering 60-foot waves. Hell on High Water revisits the tragedy and analyzes the ferocious storm that left six sailors dead.

Aired 28 August 2007 • 47 min

In the 1980s and 1990s, Pablo Escobar made billions as one of the world's biggest drug dealers. The U.S. backed a massive manhunt to bring Escobar to justice. Retrace the effort to assassinate the most feared man in Columbia.

Aired 25 September 2007 • 47 min

On October 23, 2002, a group of rebel terrorists enter Moscow's Dubrovka Theater. Russian officials struggle to save the hostages without surrendering to terrorist demands. Hear firsthand survivor accounts and find out how a secret weapon ended the perilous standoff.

Aired 25 March 2008 • 47 min

On June 27th, 1976 a routine flight from Israel to Paris carrying 258 passengers becomes the target for a gang of International terrorists. With the lives of so many hanging in the balance the world watches breathlessly, waiting to see how the story will unfold.

Aired 13 August 2009 • 47 min

A Russian Navy mini-submarine is on a secret mission in North Pacific. In the gloom, hundreds of feet below the surface, it accidentally becomes entangled in a discarded fishing net. A desperate race against time begins. Will the rescuers find the trapped crew dead or alive?

Aired 20 November 2007 • 47 min

In March, 2002, Navy SEAL Neil Roberts prepares for a nighttime mission in Afghanistan as part of Operation Anaconda. Robert's Special Forces unit prepares to fly deep into enemy territory. Outgunned and outnumbered, they face a desperate struggle for survival.

Aired 12 February 2008 • 47 min

On July 24, 2002, a routine mining excursion in Somerset, Pa., goes terribly wrong when a miner accidentally drills into an abandoned mine. Sixty million gallons of water is unleashed onto the miner and 17 of his co-workers. The situation turns critical as the men struggle to escape the floodwater. Nine are able to make their way out quickly, but the others are stranded and must fight the rising water level for more than 70 hours. Follow along as NGC breaks down the amazing story of survival.

Aired 19 November 2007 • 47 min

In May, 2002, nine climbers tumble into a gaping crevasse in Mt. Hood, Oregon. As one man crashes into another on the slopes, three are killed instantly. A rescue helicopter approaches but loses power in thin air, crashing into the ground. Now both climbers and rescuers need help.