After exploring possible escape routes and finding them all blocked, the 33 miners must face the truth: They really are trapped, more than 2,000 feet underground. Now, they must stay disciplined and ration their emergency food and water supplies if they have any hope of survival.Meanwhile, on the surface, a rescue effort gets underway. Several drills begin working to tunnel down to the trapper miners. But the rescuers have no way of knowing exactly where in the mine the miners are -- or how many of them are alive, or dead.  Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2010, the San Jose copper mine in Chile suffers a catastrophic collapse, leaving 33 miners trapped over 2,000 feet underground. As they desperately search for a way out, a massive rescue effort begins on the surface. But with the trapped miners running out of food and succumbing to despair, it’s a race against the clock to reach them and get them out.This is the story of how mining experts, rescue specialists, Chilean politicians, and even NASA team up to reunite “Los Treinta y Tres” -- the 33 -- with their families aboveground. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa braved 36 miles of brutal mountain terrain to escape the Andes and save their teammates. But this isn’t where the story of Flight 571 ends. While hiking near the crash site in 2005, mountaineer Ricardo Peña discovered a jacket belonging to one of the survivors and wreckage from the plane that had never been found. The following year Peña led a National Geographic expedition retracing the route Nando and Roberto took out of the Andes.On this episode, Peña joins host Cassie de Pecol to discuss how his discovery led to new insights about the crash and what it was like to walk in the survivors’ footsteps. To learn more about Ricardo’s expeditions in the Andes, visit https://www.alpineexpeditions.net/andes-survivors.htmlListen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a final attempt to escape the Andes, Nando and Roberto have headed east to pursue safety. The men face a difficult journey as the weather takes a turn for the worst, and their food supply dwindles. Back at the fuselage, their teammates wait for rescuers to arrive. The remaining survivors have accepted their fate: they're all doomed if the two men don't find civilization. There is only one option left. Roberto and Nando must survive their hike out through one of the largest mountain ranges in the world.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After escaping an avalanche that killed eight more passengers, the survivors of the Fairchild are starting to lose all hope. Many in the group are on death’s door. Time is running out. They can’t wait any longer for rescue. They must seek it out on their own. The expedition to find help and get off the mountain is more urgent than ever. Nando and Roberto will have to debate the best path to safety, but the men can take only one route.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The remaining survivors of the Fairchild crash are starting to lose hope that rescuers will arrive after ten days of inactivity. Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa understand their only chance at survival is to send a small team through the Andes mountains and down into Chile for help. Unfortunately, they remain stranded, and their food supply has just run out. If they’re going to climb through the Andes successfully, they’ll need to build up their strength and make some tough decisions.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Canva - Get a free 45 day extended trial at Canva.me/theoddsBest Fiends - Download Best Fiends FREE on the Apple App Store or Google Play today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In October 1972, an Uruguayan rugby team traveling to their next match in Santiago, Chile, crashes into the Andes Mountains after their plane strikes a glacier. Stranded on the snow-covered side of a mountain, they will have to do the unthinkable to survive. Initially, 29 passengers survive the collision but they must endure freezing temperatures with no winter clothes and only a few light snacks for food. The landscape is barren, and as night falls, the temperature drops below zero. The remaining survivors have no idea if help is coming. They will have to battle starvation, hypothermia, blizzards, and avalanches for more than two months before finally finding the strength to try and save themselves.It's the incredible true story of survival in the elements and two young men's attempt to hike to civilization and get them all out.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chris Turney is an Earth scientist studying the causes and impacts of environmental and climate change with a focus on the Antarctic. Turney shares tales from his own ambitious expeditions to Antarctica and the greatest challenges Shackelton and his crew faced on the ice. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a final attempt to get his men home, Ernest Shackleton and his crew have to get through the Drake Passage, the most dangerous stretch of ocean in the world. And that’s just the beginning. When they reach their goal of South Georgia island, they realize the only way to reach civilization is to cross 29 miles of impassable ice and snow on foot - something no one has ever done before. Nearly a century later, Henry Worsley and his team push themselves to complete the final 97 miles to the South Pole to finish what their relatives started.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ernest Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men were finally able to set sail for Elephant Island, but now the boats have been separated. They’ll have to endure the sea’s wrath. Shackleton’s crew must win the battle against the arctic’s unruly, icy waters if they ever plan to reach safety.Meanwhile, Henry Worsley’s body is breaking down. His team is exhausted and cold but determined to keep pushing on to realize Shackleton’s unfinished dream.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ernest Shackleton and his men are trapped on an ice floe off the coast of Antarctica. Tensions are running high, and rations are dwindling quickly. Shackleton is unsure how they are going to survive. Escaping the ice seems nearly impossible. The crew must remain determined if they plan to set sail for Elephant Island and regain their freedom.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men witness their ship, the Endurance, take a devastating blow against the unforgiving ice off the coast of Antarctica. The men will have to build camp and spend the winter on an ice floe. They’re unsure of how or when they’ll get home, but they’ll need to learn how to survive on desolate terrain.Meanwhile, a hundred years later, Henry Worsley, and two other descendants of the Endurance crew, begin their own journey to re-create another Shackleton expedition. Henry thought their greatest obstacle was going to be the weather or the rough terrain, but he soon learns his crew must overcome an unrelenting mental battle.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In March 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton works to put together a crew of twenty-eight men to sail from England to Antarctica. It was a new continent untouched by humanity that only the most adventurous men dared to explore—men who yearned to be the first to see what no other person had.  Shackleton wants to be a part of the first group of men to cross the entirety of the frozen continent. He’s already reached the icy continent before, but now, he plans to conquer it.Exactly 100 years later - three descendants of the crew will attempt a feat Shackleton could not achieve… reach the South Pole. The only problem is that they’re unprepared for the challenges that Shackleton's Antarctica will throw them. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author Dean King traveled across the world to retrace Captain Riley’s footsteps through the Sahara Desert. His book, Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, recounts Riley’s story and King’s own experiences in the desert. King shares his memories of discovering Riley’s forgotten memoir and what his journey taught him about friendship and survival.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sidi Hamet’s family is hundreds of miles away, far across the Sahara. Hamet yearns for his wife but must pay off his debts to his father-in-law before they are reconnected. Meanwhile, Captain James Riley searches for his freedom in the city of Swearah. But, if Riley is going to find his way back across the sea, he must find someone to pay ransom for an American crew. The two men must rely on one another in order to succeed, but only one will live to tell the tale.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Captain Riley and his crew are divided amongst warring nomadic tribes, Riley needs to devise a plan to find all of his men. Only then can he convince Sidi Hamet to take them to the city of Swearah where he can make a bid for their freedom. But to get there they’ll have to pass through 800 miles of unforgiving sun and sand. It’s a gamble that might cost him and his men their lives.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Captain James Riley’s ship is marooned off the coast of Northwest Africa, where the Sahara meets the sea. The vessel is useless, and his crew’s only chance to make it home is by crossing the largest hot desert in the world. Aside from the sun and lack of food and water, the men also have to avoid being taken captive by desert tribes. But after a chance encounter with a trader named Sidi Hamet, Riley learns there might be a way out - but the price will be very high.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In August 1815, a ship called The Commerce runs aground off the coast of Northwest Africa. Onboard are eleven crew members who are merchant traders who have no choice but to row to shore. They will soon find themselves at the edge of the Sahara, one of the most inhospitable places on earth where oasis settlements are controlled by tribes who also run the trans-Saharan slave trade. With no way to escape and dwindling supplies, they will need to cross the largest hot desert in the world. If captured by desert tribes, they face enslavement or death, but without help from locals, they will die of hunger and thirst. This is the true story of the men who survived the journey based on the journals they wrote. It’s about sacrifice and human endurance and the fight to get home. But their odyssey will have a much greater impact than on just their own lives – it will influence a future president and impact a nation in ways that are still felt even today. We recommend Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival by Dean King for more reading.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 1, 2008 Mountaineer Fredrik Sträng was on K2, the second highest mountain on Earth. He’d reached Camp 4 at 26,000 feet and was ready for the final push up to the summit. But Sträng and another member of his team decided to call off their summit bid when they saw climbers backed up on the rope line. It wasn’t an easy decision, but one that may have saved their lives. In Part 2 of our interview, Sträng shares his memories of climbing K2 in 2008 and those harrowing days when disaster struck in the Death Zone.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mountaineer Fredrik Sträng survived the deadly turn of events on K2 in 2008. In part 1 of this 2-part interview, Sträng talks about the challenges of climbing the world’s highest peaks and what it's like to train for these incredible feats.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.  Through a series of unpredictable events, it will become one of the worst climbing disasters in modern times. It will also lead to extraordinary acts of bravery and an epic journey of the human will to survive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After five years in captivity, John McCain and his fellow POWs try to keep their spirits up by finding new ways to hold on. When news comes that the war will soon be over, he must figure out what learnings he wants to bring back to his future life. For more reading, we recommend Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams by Taylor Baldwin Kiland.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years. John's son, Doug McCain, and the longest-held prisoner of war in Hanoi Hilton, Everett Alvarez, discuss the Vietnam War's effects on their lives and those they loved. For more reading, we recommend Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams by Taylor Baldwin Kiland.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John McCain’s body and mind are starting to deteriorate after months of imprisonment. To survive, he’ll need to make a tough choice. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a crisis threatens to destroy John's family. For more reading, we recommend Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams by Taylor Baldwin Kiland.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lieutenant Commander John McCain’s plane was shot down on a bombing mission and he survived the crash. He was taken in as a prisoner of war and housed at the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Now, John must face the ultimate test of will when his captors torture him, and then make him an offer that seems too good to be true… For more reading, we recommend Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams by Taylor Baldwin Kiland.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's 1967, and American Naval Pilot John McCain is on a bombing mission in the midst of the Vietnam War when he’s shot down by the enemy. After surviving the crash, he’s taken in as a prisoner of war and housed at the infamous Hanoi Hilton. This is the epic story of his journey to survive five and half years in captivity. For more reading, we recommend Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams by Taylor Baldwin Kiland.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica Buchanan was kidnapped by Somali land pirates, and spent 93 days in captivity before her daring rescue by SEAL team six. Jessica talks to Against the Odds host, Cassie De Pecol, about her experience and how it’s informed the rest of her life.Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After months in captivity, Jessica Buchanan is battling a kidney infection, and her body’s on the verge of collapse. The negotiations for her release aren’t going anywhere and the Crisis Management Team overseeing Jessica’s case has run out of options. It’s time for Seal Team Six to execute a daring rescue plan to bring Jessica home. Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As days and then weeks go by, Jessica tries to adjust to life as a hostage in the Somali desert, but she’s sick and her body is failing. Back in Nairobi, her husband works with her NGO on a plan to get Jessica medicine she needs, but her kidnappers trust no one, not even the negotiators. Jessica’s family meets with an FBI agent who explains to them the possible outcomes of the situation. None of them make it easy to stay hopeful.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the fall of 2011, humanitarian aid worker Jessica Buchanan is traveling through the Somali desert when she and a colleague are kidnapped by land pirates. Her organization quickly springs into action and brings in negotiators who wait for a ransom call. Meanwhile, three hundred miles away, Jessica’s husband Erik does whatever he can to bring her home, while Jessica fights to stay alive one day at a time.Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The two hosts of Against the Odds, Mike Corey and Cassie De Pecol, interview each other on their lives as adventurers in this special episode. They discuss what drives them to explore, why they’re drawn to the subject of survival, and what stories they’ll be diving into on Against the Odds. Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rick Stanton was one of the lead divers on the mission to rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from an underwater cave in Thailand. Rick talks to Mike Corey, about his lifelong passion to explore underwater caves. He discusses how he got into the world of cave rescue, what it was like to participate in this harrowing mission, and how the experience changed his life.Support us by supporting our sponsors!Indeed - Get a FREE $75 dollar credit to upgrade your job posting at indeed.com/theodds.Care/of - For 50% off your first order, go to takecareof.com and enter the code THEODDS50. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been fourteen days since 12 boys and their coach went missing inside the Tham Luang. The Thai government gives the greenlight to a highly complex mission to dive the boys out. Estimates for them all making them out alive is low. One of the most dangerous rescue missions in history is about to begin. Listen ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rescuers locate the 12 boys and their soccer coach deep inside the Tham Luang, but now they have another problem. How will they get them all out? An international team frantically looks for solutions, but no one can agree on a plan. Meanwhile, monsoon rains are coming and the clock is ticking down.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.