Last Updated on: 18th March 2019, 05:05 pm
We love Mayday around here, so chances are good that we’ll give DISASTERS AT SEA a look.
When tragedy strikes on the high seas causing ships to sink, the truth of what happened is often lost to the depths of the ocean. In Discovery’s latest original Canadian series, DISASTERS AT SEA, experienced and dedicated marine investigators track down new evidence to solve the mysteries behind some of the most devastating and unexpected real-life marine disasters in recent history.
I’ll spare you the rest of the rambling press release and skip straight to the episode descriptions and air dates, which Bell was helpful enough to include.
Episode 101 – “Coffin Ship”
Tuesday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Ship: MV Derbyshire
Type: Bulk Cargo Carrier
Date: September 9, 1980
Location: South China Sea
When an underwater image of the Derbyshire suggests the crew is to blame for the shipwreck the families of the dead refuse to believe it and launch an intensive quest for answers. What the investigation uncovers not only clears the crew of blame, it also reveals a shocking problem that’s putting other lives at risk.Episode 102 – “Shipwrecked in Alaska”
Tuesday, April 23 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Ship: Fishing Vessel Alaska Ranger
Type: Commercial Fishing Vessel, Trawler
Date: March 23, 2008
Location: Bering Sea, Alaska
Deadly flooding forces the crew of the Alaska Ranger to abandon ship into frigid waters off the coast of Alaska, setting off the largest cold water rescue in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard. Investigators have little to go on until a visit to Ranger’s sister ship reveals a shocking secret affecting other ships.
Episode 103 – “Deadly Rescue”
Tuesday, April 30 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Ship: SS Marine Electric
Type: 605 ft Bulk Carrier
Date: February 12, 1983
Location: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Virginia
The SS Marine Electric went down in a storm 30 miles off the coast of Virginia in February 1983. Despite passing its inspections, the coast guard discovers that the ship was badly maintained and not seaworthy. In the wake of the accident, inspections of other aging vessels are stepped up, and the Coast Guard develops its now world famous Coast Guard Swimmer program, which trains rescuers to enter the water to save the lives of survivors who don’t make it onto lifeboats.
Episode 104 – “Wreck of the Rocknes”
Tuesday, May 7 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Ship: MV Rocknes
Type: 166 meter long Rock Discharge Bulk Carrier
Date: January 18, 2004
Location: South of Bergen, Norway
The largest rock discharge carrier in the world, MV Rocknes, capsizes off the coast of Norway. A rescue team works overtime to save trapped sailors in the now upside-down ship. In their search for answers, investigators discover a baffling twist – the Rocknes’ last turn was executed extremely poorly by a very experienced crew.
Episode 105 – “The Ice Ship”
Tuesday, May 14 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Ship: MV Explorer
Type: Ice Vessel
Date: November 23, 2007
Location: Antarctica
An adventure cruise ends in disaster when MV Explorer sinks in Antarctica, stranding 144 passengers and crew. In their hunt for evidence about what went wrong, investigators turn to a surprising source – the photos and videos taken by the passengers who survived the ordeal.
Episode 106 – “Torn Apart”
Sunday, March 17 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Vessel Name: MSC Napoli
Type: 904.4 Ft Container Ship
Date: January 18, 2007
Location: The English Channel on-route to Sines, Portugal
When a violent crack tears the MSC Napoli apart and leaves the crew stranded in the English Channel, the first priority is rescuing the crew and moving the ship away from busy shipping lanes. But as the investigators dig into the cause of the wreck, they discover an alarming design flaw.
It says in the release that they’re already hard at work on season two, so hopefully we like season one.
They need to put this show on at a more old people friendly time. Ten PM is just too late for us most nights. So far we’ve fallen asleep half way through one episode, got distracted by some sports so missed the start of another and decided to go to bed instead of catching up because we knew we were too tired, and fell asleep before the third even started. And it’s not the show’s fault, by the looks of it. What we did see, we liked. I’m sure they’ll run the thing over and over again so hopefully we’ll catch it later, but this 10 o’clock shit is no buys.
Thanks to Discovery Science I finally got to see a whole episode. It was the one about the Rocknes. The show is very good, and if you like Mayday or investigation type documentaries in general you’ll probably enjoy it.
Not sure how long it’ll be this way, but for now Friday nights on Discovery Science are Mayday at 8 and then this at 9. That’s pretty cool.