"Mysteries at the Museum" Survival at Sea: Special

1 00:00:01,990 --> 00:00:04,290 A terrifying standoff on the high seas. 2 00:00:04,390 --> 00:00:05,790 Shots fired! Shots fired! 3 00:00:05,890 --> 00:00:07,460 WOMAN: They know they need to do something. 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,660 Captain Phillips' life is in immediate danger. 5 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,230 A monstrous predator lurking in the deep. 6 00:00:13,330 --> 00:00:17,230 MAN: These sailors went from peacefully sleeping in their bunks 7 00:00:17,340 --> 00:00:19,500 to fighting for their lives. 8 00:00:19,610 --> 00:00:23,610 And an amazing rescue on the ocean floor. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,040 They had to work fast to get this man out alive. 10 00:00:28,150 --> 00:00:30,750 These are the mysteries at the museum. 11 00:00:37,190 --> 00:00:41,430 The Florida Keys are comprised of more than 800 small islands 12 00:00:41,530 --> 00:00:44,760 that stretch for about 180 miles. 13 00:00:44,860 --> 00:00:48,770 This archipelago's crystalline waters and abundant sea life 14 00:00:48,870 --> 00:00:50,230 make it a top destination 15 00:00:50,340 --> 00:00:51,970 for divers from all over the world. 16 00:00:52,070 --> 00:00:56,940 So it's only fitting that the island of Islamorada is home 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:58,980 to the History of Diving Museum. 18 00:01:02,710 --> 00:01:06,080 The collection includes a 17th-century elephant tusk 19 00:01:06,190 --> 00:01:08,450 discovered near Looe Key, 20 00:01:08,550 --> 00:01:12,090 treasure recovered from an 18th-century shipwreck 21 00:01:12,190 --> 00:01:13,560 and scuba equipment worn 22 00:01:13,660 --> 00:01:16,530 by an early 20th-century diving pioneer. 23 00:01:19,630 --> 00:01:23,630 But one item here is of a much more recent vintage. 24 00:01:23,740 --> 00:01:26,340 The object is mostly bright orange 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,610 except for some shiny chrome around it. 26 00:01:29,710 --> 00:01:32,480 It's welded and screwed together, 27 00:01:32,580 --> 00:01:35,410 and it's got a large glass window on the front. 28 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,220 WILDMAN: This is the Kirby Morgan 29 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:42,190 SuperLite Diving Helmet, and it played a central role 30 00:01:42,290 --> 00:01:44,890 in a death-defying journey to the ocean floor. 31 00:01:46,730 --> 00:01:49,460 This is one of the most incredible survival stories 32 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,560 to ever emerge from the sea. 33 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:01,640 WILDMAN: It's May 26, 2013, off the coast of Nigeria. 34 00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:05,780 A 29-year-old Nigerian mariner named Harrison Okene 35 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,410 is working onboard a tugboat called the Jascon-4. 36 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,220 DELGADO: Okene was hired as the cook, 37 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,790 along with 11 other crew members. 38 00:02:16,890 --> 00:02:18,360 WILDMAN: It's the middle of the night, 39 00:02:18,460 --> 00:02:21,360 and Okene has woken up to use the bathroom... 40 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,160 ...when he feels a massive swell rock the boat. 41 00:02:26,270 --> 00:02:30,570 [ Men yelling indistinctly ] 42 00:02:30,670 --> 00:02:34,300 In an instant, the ship capsizes and begins to sink. 43 00:02:34,410 --> 00:02:39,240 The boat is upside down, and he's going down with it. 44 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,510 WILDMAN: As the ship fills with water, 45 00:02:43,620 --> 00:02:46,020 Okene holds his breath and swims around, 46 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:47,420 looking for any escape. 47 00:02:49,620 --> 00:02:53,220 Then, he comes to a room that has not flooded completely. 48 00:02:53,330 --> 00:02:55,960 It seems only a matter of time before it too becomes 49 00:02:56,060 --> 00:02:58,400 completely filled with water. 50 00:02:58,500 --> 00:03:01,100 He must have been terrified that the water 51 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,170 was eventually going to engulf him and drown him. 52 00:03:04,270 --> 00:03:05,940 WILDMAN: But as the ship keeps sinking, 53 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,310 Okene comes to a stunning realization. 54 00:03:09,410 --> 00:03:12,480 He is actually trapped in an air bubble. 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,120 And once the ship hits the ocean floor 56 00:03:19,220 --> 00:03:21,120 100 feet below the surface, 57 00:03:21,220 --> 00:03:24,590 his air pocket allows Okene to breathe easily. 58 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:27,860 Amazingly, as the water was rushing through the boat, 59 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:29,960 and the boat was sinking to the bottom, 60 00:03:30,060 --> 00:03:32,830 it eventually stopped, and he found himself 61 00:03:32,930 --> 00:03:35,200 in a bubble. 62 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:37,530 DELGADO: Miraculously, he was able to survive 63 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:39,770 at the bottom of the ocean. 64 00:03:39,870 --> 00:03:42,370 WILDMAN: But although he's still alive, 65 00:03:42,470 --> 00:03:44,540 his prospects are grim. 66 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,380 The air will eventually run out, 67 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,210 and even if he could find his way out of the boat, 68 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:51,820 he's so deep underwater 69 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,480 that the change of pressure between his air pocket 70 00:03:54,590 --> 00:03:58,120 and the surface would almost certainly prove fatal. 71 00:03:59,490 --> 00:04:03,290 His only choice, it seems, is to accept his fate. 72 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,960 DELGADO: He must have been terrified. 73 00:04:07,070 --> 00:04:08,700 He thought he was going to die. 74 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:17,610 WILDMAN: On May 28th, 75 00:04:17,710 --> 00:04:21,340 more than two days after the Jascon-4 sank, 76 00:04:21,450 --> 00:04:24,110 a team of divers descends to the ship to salvage 77 00:04:24,220 --> 00:04:28,650 what they can and recover the dead. 78 00:04:28,750 --> 00:04:31,150 It was an unthinkable and tragic disaster. 79 00:04:31,260 --> 00:04:33,060 They didn't expect any survivors 80 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,490 because of how much time had lapsed. 81 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,630 WILDMAN: But as they survey the damage, one of the divers 82 00:04:39,730 --> 00:04:42,570 is suddenly grabbed by a mysterious hand. 83 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:50,074 84 00:04:51,910 --> 00:04:54,110 It's Harrison Okene. 85 00:04:54,210 --> 00:04:56,950 It seems the desperate cook heard the diving team 86 00:04:57,050 --> 00:05:00,580 searching the wreck and swam over to find them. 87 00:05:00,690 --> 00:05:03,120 Now, one of the divers follows Okene back 88 00:05:03,220 --> 00:05:05,960 to the section of the ship with the air pocket. 89 00:05:06,060 --> 00:05:08,090 DELGADO: The diver must have been shocked. 90 00:05:08,190 --> 00:05:13,160 This man had been underwater for almost three days. 91 00:05:13,270 --> 00:05:16,170 WILDMAN: The salvage operation quickly turns into a mission 92 00:05:16,270 --> 00:05:18,170 to save Okene's life. 93 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,110 DELGADO: The first thing they did 94 00:05:22,210 --> 00:05:24,140 was they gave him warm bottles of water 95 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,580 to raise his body temperature 96 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,980 because he had been under cold water for so long. 97 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,820 WILDMAN: Then they strap him in a harness and fit him 98 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,920 with a Kirby SuperLite Diving Helmet, 99 00:05:35,020 --> 00:05:37,150 just like the one on display 100 00:05:37,260 --> 00:05:41,460 at the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, Florida. 101 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,430 Finally, they slowly bring Okene up to the surface 102 00:05:45,530 --> 00:05:48,230 and transfer him to a decompression chamber. 103 00:05:48,330 --> 00:05:51,200 Which he had to sit in for two days to get his body 104 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:53,940 adapted to the surface pressure. 105 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,910 WILDMAN: Five days after the sinking, 106 00:05:58,010 --> 00:06:01,710 Okene finally exits the decompression chamber 107 00:06:01,810 --> 00:06:04,880 and is reunited with his family. 108 00:06:04,980 --> 00:06:07,650 In the aftermath of the shipwreck, 109 00:06:07,750 --> 00:06:10,690 Okene vows to never return to the sea. 110 00:06:10,790 --> 00:06:13,760 DELGADO: Harrison Okene might be one of the luckiest men alive. 111 00:06:13,860 --> 00:06:15,560 He believes this was a miracle, 112 00:06:15,660 --> 00:06:17,060 and it very well could have been. 113 00:06:20,730 --> 00:06:23,300 WILDMAN: Today, this helmet is on display 114 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,700 at the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, Florida. 115 00:06:26,810 --> 00:06:28,400 It recalls an incredible, 116 00:06:28,510 --> 00:06:31,570 heroic rescue at the bottom of the sea. 117 00:06:36,750 --> 00:06:39,320 Located at the picturesque confluence 118 00:06:39,420 --> 00:06:42,250 of the James River and the Chesapeake Bay, 119 00:06:42,350 --> 00:06:44,490 Newport News, Virginia, is a city 120 00:06:44,590 --> 00:06:47,860 with a proud tradition of ship building and seafaring, 121 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,290 and this nautical legacy is celebrated 122 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,460 at the Mariners' Museum. 123 00:06:53,570 --> 00:06:57,300 On display is a collection of navigational tools 124 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,800 dating back to the 17th century, 125 00:06:59,910 --> 00:07:02,970 the salvaged propeller from the USS Monitor, 126 00:07:03,070 --> 00:07:05,410 and a set of miniature ships 127 00:07:05,510 --> 00:07:08,480 made by craftsman August F. Crabtree. 128 00:07:08,580 --> 00:07:11,410 But sitting among these storied objects 129 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,620 is an item that looks more like ocean flotsam 130 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,250 than museum treasure. 131 00:07:16,350 --> 00:07:18,520 It's made of plastic. It has tubing. 132 00:07:18,620 --> 00:07:21,190 It's yellowed. It's crumpled up. 133 00:07:21,290 --> 00:07:23,190 It's not in top condition. 134 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:26,430 WILDMAN: But despite its weathered appearance, 135 00:07:26,530 --> 00:07:29,400 this artifact was once a functional device 136 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:31,030 with a crucial purpose. 137 00:07:31,140 --> 00:07:33,500 What is this bizarre contraption? 138 00:07:33,610 --> 00:07:35,710 What role did it play 139 00:07:35,810 --> 00:07:38,880 in an unbelievable quest for survival? 140 00:07:40,780 --> 00:07:44,150 It's January 1982 in the Canary Islands, 141 00:07:44,250 --> 00:07:47,420 just off the western coast of Africa. 142 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:48,720 Since childhood, 143 00:07:48,820 --> 00:07:52,390 29-year-old Steve Callahan has been an avid sailor. 144 00:07:52,490 --> 00:07:54,160 For the past two years, 145 00:07:54,260 --> 00:07:56,190 he's devoted all his energy 146 00:07:56,290 --> 00:07:59,230 to creating a vessel of his own design, 147 00:07:59,330 --> 00:08:02,830 a small sailboat christened Napoleon Solo. 148 00:08:02,930 --> 00:08:07,070 Now he's setting out on an adventure of a lifetime. 149 00:08:07,170 --> 00:08:10,810 FORBES: He wanted to live out a dream he'd had 150 00:08:10,910 --> 00:08:13,210 to sail solo to the Caribbean. 151 00:08:13,310 --> 00:08:15,380 WILDMAN: On January 29th, 152 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,050 with his boat full of provisions, 153 00:08:18,150 --> 00:08:20,880 he sets off from the Canary Islands 154 00:08:20,990 --> 00:08:23,620 en route to the island of Antigua. 155 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,320 He expects the nearly 3,000-mile journey 156 00:08:26,420 --> 00:08:28,120 will take less than a month. 157 00:08:28,230 --> 00:08:30,330 FORBES: Over the first week of Steve's trip, 158 00:08:30,430 --> 00:08:32,260 the weather was actually pretty good 159 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,800 and Steve was hoping to shorten the amount of time 160 00:08:34,900 --> 00:08:37,170 that he was actually going to be sailing towards Antigua. 161 00:08:37,270 --> 00:08:39,640 WILDMAN: But on the sixth day, 162 00:08:39,740 --> 00:08:43,540 Callahan's luck takes a turn when the weather shifts. 163 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:45,610 Storm came up from the South Atlantic, a gale. 164 00:08:45,710 --> 00:08:47,480 Seas are high. 165 00:08:47,580 --> 00:08:49,310 He's well away from land. 166 00:08:49,410 --> 00:08:51,950 He's headed sort of downwind, he's in this gale. 167 00:08:52,050 --> 00:08:54,820 Winds are about 45 to 50 knots. 168 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,690 WILDMAN: Callahan remains calm. 169 00:08:57,790 --> 00:09:01,020 He knows that the best thing he can do is wait it out, 170 00:09:01,130 --> 00:09:03,130 so he lowers the sails 171 00:09:03,230 --> 00:09:05,730 and climbs into his bunk for the night. 172 00:09:05,830 --> 00:09:08,400 When Steve goes to bed, he's got the boat set up 173 00:09:08,500 --> 00:09:10,600 so that he can go below 174 00:09:10,700 --> 00:09:13,340 and periodically get some sleep. 175 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,940 He's really hoping that the storm will play itself out. 176 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:22,280 WILDMAN: But Callahan is awoken by a terrifying thought. 177 00:09:24,020 --> 00:09:27,680 When he looks down, he discovers a terrible sight. 178 00:09:27,790 --> 00:09:30,820 His cabin is rapidly filling with water. 179 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,990 Callahan grabs as many supplies as he can. 180 00:09:34,090 --> 00:09:37,430 He then jumps aboard his sailboat's life raft, 181 00:09:37,530 --> 00:09:39,660 takes shelter under its canopy, 182 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,300 and drifts away from the sinking Napoleon Solo. 183 00:09:44,770 --> 00:09:48,340 FORBES: So when dawn breaks, the storm has dissipated. 184 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,840 Steve moves from panic to, 185 00:09:50,940 --> 00:09:54,840 "Okay, I need to figure out what I'm going to do." 186 00:09:54,950 --> 00:09:59,050 And a lot of that is looking now at what he has brought 187 00:09:59,150 --> 00:10:02,550 on board this life raft, what he still has available 188 00:10:02,650 --> 00:10:06,160 to him, and what his plan for surviving is going to be. 189 00:10:06,260 --> 00:10:09,890 WILDMAN: Callahan takes inventory of his supplies: 190 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,930 a small amount of food, 191 00:10:12,030 --> 00:10:14,460 a speargun he can use for fishing, 192 00:10:14,570 --> 00:10:18,970 and three solar distillation kits that produce fresh water, 193 00:10:19,070 --> 00:10:22,440 one of which is now on display at the Mariners' Museum. 194 00:10:22,540 --> 00:10:25,710 Water is key to survival, and freshwater 195 00:10:25,810 --> 00:10:29,350 is hard to come by in an ocean of saltwater. 196 00:10:29,450 --> 00:10:33,280 These are distillation units that you can put saltwater in, 197 00:10:33,390 --> 00:10:35,280 and through the sun's heat, 198 00:10:35,390 --> 00:10:37,650 will distill that into freshwater. 199 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,660 WILDMAN: But the kits barely produce enough water 200 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:42,430 for Callahan to survive. 201 00:10:42,530 --> 00:10:45,730 Steve realizes that he needs to limit himself 202 00:10:45,830 --> 00:10:49,400 to about a pint of water daily. 203 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:51,530 WILDMAN: Callahan reckons 204 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,540 that he's 450 miles west of the Canary Islands, 205 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,580 and with no sail, he is at the mercy of the sea. 206 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:03,210 All he can do is wait and pray for rescue. 207 00:11:03,310 --> 00:11:05,980 FORBES: Steve's now hoping the life raft 208 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,720 will drift into the major shipping lanes 209 00:11:08,820 --> 00:11:11,990 so that larger cargo ships will actually see him. 210 00:11:12,090 --> 00:11:14,760 WILDMAN: After 14 long days, 211 00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:17,460 an exhausted and dehydrated Callahan 212 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:20,200 finally spots a ship in the distance. 213 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:22,000 FORBES: He is elated, 214 00:11:22,100 --> 00:11:25,600 and he tries to signal to attract the ship's attention, 215 00:11:25,700 --> 00:11:29,540 but it all goes for naught because the ship passes him by. 216 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:33,910 WILDMAN: Weeks pass, 217 00:11:34,010 --> 00:11:36,050 and Callahan realizes the current 218 00:11:36,150 --> 00:11:40,050 has taken him well beyond the major shipping lanes. 219 00:11:40,150 --> 00:11:42,920 His prospects for survival look bleak. 220 00:11:43,020 --> 00:11:44,890 FORBES: On March 19th, 221 00:11:44,990 --> 00:11:48,490 Callahan has now been adrift in his raft 222 00:11:48,590 --> 00:11:50,890 in the Atlantic for 43 days. 223 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:55,470 WILDMAN: That morning begins like any other. 224 00:11:55,570 --> 00:12:00,200 He readies his speargun to fish for breakfast. 225 00:12:00,310 --> 00:12:02,940 He fires at a dorado and hits his target, 226 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,580 but as the fish struggles in the water, 227 00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:06,880 it drags the spear, 228 00:12:06,980 --> 00:12:09,510 puncturing the bottom tube of the raft. 229 00:12:09,610 --> 00:12:14,150 The chilling sound of escaping air stops Callahan cold. 230 00:12:14,250 --> 00:12:17,750 FORBES: The spear cuts into the bottom tube of the raft, 231 00:12:17,860 --> 00:12:22,160 and immediately, all of the air flows out. 232 00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:25,930 Will this be the disaster that finally spells his doom? 233 00:12:32,170 --> 00:12:34,440 It's March, 1982. 234 00:12:34,540 --> 00:12:36,910 Amateur sailor Steven Callahan 235 00:12:37,010 --> 00:12:39,710 is staring death in the face. 236 00:12:39,810 --> 00:12:42,280 He's adrift on a life raft in the middle of 237 00:12:42,380 --> 00:12:44,910 the Atlantic Ocean, and now it's sprung a leak. 238 00:12:47,450 --> 00:12:50,150 So, will this captain go down with his raft? 239 00:12:55,430 --> 00:12:57,860 Callahan makes a desperate attempt 240 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,360 to fix the raft's punctured tube. 241 00:13:00,470 --> 00:13:03,100 With fishing line and a seat cushion, 242 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,700 he creates a plug to seal the leak, 243 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,600 then reinflates it with a manual pump. 244 00:13:07,710 --> 00:13:11,870 He knows that it's critical that he is able 245 00:13:11,980 --> 00:13:14,480 to patch this and reinflate it so that he has 246 00:13:14,580 --> 00:13:16,150 any hope for survival. 247 00:13:16,250 --> 00:13:18,750 WILDMAN: And amazingly it works. 248 00:13:18,850 --> 00:13:23,050 But the spear he's relied on for fishing has been damaged, 249 00:13:23,150 --> 00:13:25,420 and now he faces starvation. 250 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,420 FORBES: He's still adrift in the ocean, 251 00:13:28,530 --> 00:13:29,860 he's still not seeing ships, 252 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,330 he's still in this predicament 253 00:13:32,430 --> 00:13:35,300 as much as he was before the leak began. 254 00:13:38,170 --> 00:13:41,670 WILDMAN: Then, miraculously, on his 75th day in the raft, 255 00:13:41,770 --> 00:13:45,610 he spots some twinkling lights on the horizon, 256 00:13:45,710 --> 00:13:48,010 and with incredible excitement, 257 00:13:48,110 --> 00:13:49,880 he realizes they are on a shoreline. 258 00:13:49,980 --> 00:13:51,050 For the first time, 259 00:13:51,150 --> 00:13:52,820 Callahan falls asleep on the raft 260 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:54,780 with a glimmer of hope. 261 00:13:54,890 --> 00:13:55,950 FORBES: The next morning, 262 00:13:56,050 --> 00:13:58,320 after he's been adrift for 76 days, 263 00:13:58,420 --> 00:14:01,290 Steve awakes to find a small boat approaching him. 264 00:14:01,390 --> 00:14:06,460 WILDMAN: After 76 days and an incredible 1,800 miles, 265 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:09,530 Callahan is rescued by fishermen 266 00:14:09,630 --> 00:14:14,140 and taken back to the island of Guadalupe. 267 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,570 After recovering from his journey, 268 00:14:16,670 --> 00:14:20,810 Callahan goes on to write a book about his remarkable experience. 269 00:14:20,910 --> 00:14:23,080 And today, his solar still 270 00:14:23,180 --> 00:14:26,250 on display at the Mariners' Museum 271 00:14:26,350 --> 00:14:29,320 helps tell his unbelievable story 272 00:14:29,420 --> 00:14:31,950 of survival against all odds. 273 00:14:36,030 --> 00:14:38,130 Armored vehicles, 274 00:14:38,230 --> 00:14:39,600 scuba gear, 275 00:14:39,700 --> 00:14:41,960 submachine guns-- 276 00:14:42,070 --> 00:14:44,530 these aren't just any old weapons of war. 277 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:45,830 They once belonged 278 00:14:45,940 --> 00:14:48,340 to the most elite fighting force in the country-- 279 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,110 the U.S. Navy Seals. 280 00:14:54,380 --> 00:14:57,010 Today, these items are on display 281 00:14:57,110 --> 00:14:59,650 at the National Navy UDT Seal Museum 282 00:14:59,750 --> 00:15:01,520 in Fort Pierce, Florida, 283 00:15:01,620 --> 00:15:04,390 an institution that celebrates these warriors 284 00:15:04,490 --> 00:15:06,390 and their work. 285 00:15:06,490 --> 00:15:08,390 The Seals are the men who can do it all. 286 00:15:08,490 --> 00:15:11,360 They are sea, air, land. They go in. They take care of business. 287 00:15:12,730 --> 00:15:15,900 WILDMAN: One particular artifact in the collection 288 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,340 perfectly showcases the Seals' no-nonsense attitude. 289 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,800 It weighs about 10,000 pounds and is 20 feet long. 290 00:15:21,910 --> 00:15:23,840 We like to refer to it as a big orange pumpkin. 291 00:15:23,940 --> 00:15:26,410 WILDMAN: This is a U.S. lifeboat, 292 00:15:26,510 --> 00:15:29,980 complete with chilling scars of combat. 293 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,950 Who fired upon this vessel, and what role did it play 294 00:15:34,050 --> 00:15:36,450 in one of the most harrowing and heroic stories 295 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:39,560 in recent history? 296 00:15:39,660 --> 00:15:42,560 It's 2009. 297 00:15:42,660 --> 00:15:44,790 53-year-old captain Richard Phillips 298 00:15:44,900 --> 00:15:48,500 is piloting the 17-ton cargo ship "Maersk Alabama" 299 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,870 through the Indian Ocean. 300 00:15:50,970 --> 00:15:54,300 We get most of our supplies from these cargo ships 301 00:15:54,410 --> 00:15:56,510 from all around the world, and Captain Phillips 302 00:15:56,610 --> 00:15:59,680 was taking his cargo to Kenya. 303 00:15:59,780 --> 00:16:02,280 WILDMAN: On April 8, he and his 19-man crew 304 00:16:02,380 --> 00:16:05,910 are a few hundred miles from the coast of Somalia, 305 00:16:06,020 --> 00:16:08,620 when suddenly, they spot a speedboat 306 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,020 heading straight for them. 307 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,660 It takes only a moment to realize what this could mean-- 308 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,830 pirates. 309 00:16:16,930 --> 00:16:18,990 Captain Phillips had been commanding ships 310 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:20,860 for over 20 years. 311 00:16:20,970 --> 00:16:23,670 He was quite aware of the dangers in the water. 312 00:16:23,770 --> 00:16:26,370 WILDMAN: Heavily armed pirates from nearby Somalia 313 00:16:26,470 --> 00:16:29,300 have a history of trolling these waters 314 00:16:29,410 --> 00:16:32,710 for cargo ships they can hijack for ransom, 315 00:16:32,810 --> 00:16:35,710 and the "Maersk Alabama" is no match 316 00:16:35,810 --> 00:16:37,810 for the fast, light speedboat. 317 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,320 These large, heavy cargo ships just don't have the maneuverability 318 00:16:41,420 --> 00:16:44,320 to outrun these speedboats. 319 00:16:44,420 --> 00:16:46,720 WILDMAN: But Captain Phillips has trained for an event of this nature. 320 00:16:46,820 --> 00:16:48,990 He sends a distress call to the military 321 00:16:49,090 --> 00:16:51,830 and orders the engineer to power down the ship, 322 00:16:51,930 --> 00:16:53,960 then instructs the crew 323 00:16:54,070 --> 00:16:57,130 to lock themselves in the hidden safe room, 324 00:16:57,230 --> 00:17:00,600 while he prepares to confront the pirates. 325 00:17:00,710 --> 00:17:02,770 Once the pirates get on board, 326 00:17:02,870 --> 00:17:06,210 they go up to the bridge and take over the captain. 327 00:17:06,310 --> 00:17:09,550 The pirates demand that Captain Phillips change his route 328 00:17:09,650 --> 00:17:12,410 and rush full speed ahead to Somalia, 329 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,750 but Phillips explains that the ship is broken 330 00:17:15,850 --> 00:17:18,650 and won't be going anywhere. 331 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,490 They're demanding the captain do something -- fix the boat, 332 00:17:21,590 --> 00:17:24,190 get the crew up, do all these things. 333 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:27,260 WILDMAN: Phillips pretends to comply with the pirates' demands. 334 00:17:27,360 --> 00:17:29,800 He radios to his crew, 335 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:31,970 but they've been trained to stay in the safe room, 336 00:17:32,070 --> 00:17:33,970 despite the pirates' violent threats. 337 00:17:34,070 --> 00:17:36,640 They were getting aggravated when they realized 338 00:17:36,740 --> 00:17:39,410 things weren't going quite the way they wanted it to go. 339 00:17:39,510 --> 00:17:42,240 But just as the hijackers decide to abandon ship 340 00:17:42,350 --> 00:17:44,180 and head back to Somalia, 341 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,650 they realize that is no longer an option. 342 00:17:46,750 --> 00:17:50,190 During the boarding, it seems, their skiff had overturned. 343 00:17:50,290 --> 00:17:51,790 To their abasement, 344 00:17:51,890 --> 00:17:54,220 their speedboat had sunk. 345 00:17:54,330 --> 00:17:57,090 WILDMAN: Thinking fast, 346 00:17:57,190 --> 00:17:59,800 Captain Phillips proposes a new plan. 347 00:17:59,900 --> 00:18:03,030 So he said, "We will take a small lifeboat 348 00:18:03,130 --> 00:18:05,030 "and put it in the water for you, 349 00:18:05,140 --> 00:18:07,200 and you can leave." 350 00:18:07,300 --> 00:18:09,540 WILDMAN: In order to show the pirates how to operate it, 351 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:12,040 Phillips boards the lifeboat, 352 00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:14,540 but when he tries to return to the cargo ship, 353 00:18:14,650 --> 00:18:16,910 he finds he has been tricked. 354 00:18:17,010 --> 00:18:18,910 They wanted their ransom money. 355 00:18:19,020 --> 00:18:22,320 They took off with the captain on board. 356 00:18:22,420 --> 00:18:25,120 Phillips' crew realizes that their captain 357 00:18:25,220 --> 00:18:28,220 is now a hostage on the lifeboat. 358 00:18:28,330 --> 00:18:31,030 Will he make it off the vessel alive? 359 00:18:36,070 --> 00:18:39,340 It's 2009 in the middle of the Indian Ocean. 360 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,510 The cargo ship "Maersk Alabama" 361 00:18:42,610 --> 00:18:45,180 has been hijacked by Somali pirates. 362 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:47,610 And now, the ship's captain, 363 00:18:47,710 --> 00:18:49,850 Richard Phillips, is being held hostage 364 00:18:49,950 --> 00:18:52,520 in a lifeboat. 365 00:18:52,620 --> 00:18:55,590 So how can Phillips make it through this ordeal alive? 366 00:18:59,830 --> 00:19:01,090 With the pirates gone, 367 00:19:01,190 --> 00:19:03,560 the crew of the "Maersk Alabama" powers up the ship 368 00:19:03,660 --> 00:19:07,130 and waits for the military to bring help. 369 00:19:07,230 --> 00:19:09,830 As the Navy races to the scene, 370 00:19:09,940 --> 00:19:12,470 Captain Phillips' life hangs in the balance. 371 00:19:13,710 --> 00:19:16,440 He's going through extreme torture with these pirates. 372 00:19:16,540 --> 00:19:19,280 They're starting to use death rituals, 373 00:19:19,380 --> 00:19:21,680 like little games that they would play. 374 00:19:21,780 --> 00:19:25,650 The atmosphere is extremely, extremely tense. 375 00:19:25,750 --> 00:19:29,190 WILDMAN: Finally, 20 hours into the hijacking, 376 00:19:29,290 --> 00:19:31,320 the Navy reaches the lifeboat. 377 00:19:31,420 --> 00:19:33,820 Right away, they begin negotiating 378 00:19:33,930 --> 00:19:36,160 the safe release of the captain, 379 00:19:36,260 --> 00:19:39,400 offering the pirates radios, food, and clothing. 380 00:19:39,500 --> 00:19:41,730 But what the pirates don't know 381 00:19:41,830 --> 00:19:44,330 is that the Navy has ulterior motives. 382 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,870 The Navy would approach the vessel. 383 00:19:46,970 --> 00:19:48,870 They would always eyeball and make sure 384 00:19:48,970 --> 00:19:51,170 that Captain Phillips was in a certain seat, 385 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,180 so they would have the visual. 386 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:55,810 WILDMAN: These so-called "proof of life" checks 387 00:19:55,910 --> 00:19:58,110 are critical to the Navy's plan, 388 00:19:58,220 --> 00:20:00,950 because hidden on a nearby ship 389 00:20:01,050 --> 00:20:04,290 is the most elite group of snipers in the U.S. Military-- 390 00:20:04,390 --> 00:20:06,790 the Navy Seals. 391 00:20:06,890 --> 00:20:08,960 If there's any sign that the captain's life 392 00:20:09,060 --> 00:20:12,700 is in immediate jeopardy, they won't hesitate to strike. 393 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,060 If you were in danger and you wanted somebody 394 00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:17,070 to come rescue your behind, 395 00:20:17,170 --> 00:20:19,470 these are the guys you want to call in. 396 00:20:19,570 --> 00:20:23,210 WILDMAN: And that moment arrives on day five of the standoff, 397 00:20:23,310 --> 00:20:27,010 when suddenly, a pirate is seen pointing his rifle 398 00:20:27,110 --> 00:20:29,350 at Captain Phillips' back. 399 00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:31,650 Now they know they need to do something. 400 00:20:31,750 --> 00:20:34,320 Captain Phillips life is in immediate danger. 401 00:20:34,420 --> 00:20:37,950 WILDMAN: The Seals need to take out the pirates and fast, 402 00:20:38,060 --> 00:20:41,260 but they are 100 feet away in rolling seas. 403 00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:43,690 And there is no room for error. 404 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,860 The Seals have to make sure that they kill all three pirates 405 00:20:46,970 --> 00:20:49,030 at the same time, and they can't miss, 406 00:20:49,130 --> 00:20:52,000 because the pirates-- they may kill the captain. 407 00:20:54,370 --> 00:20:56,840 [ Gunshot] MAN: Shots fired! 408 00:20:56,940 --> 00:20:59,080 MAN: Shots fired! Shots fired! 409 00:20:59,180 --> 00:21:01,380 WILDMAN: All three pirates are shot dead. 410 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,510 I can tell you that they took more than one shot each, 411 00:21:04,620 --> 00:21:07,050 that each shot hit their target. 412 00:21:09,990 --> 00:21:12,720 WILDMAN: Captain Phillips is completely unharmed. 413 00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:15,660 The Navy Seals--three. Somali pirates--zero. 414 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,130 Thanks, guys. Thank you very much. 415 00:21:18,230 --> 00:21:20,730 You're real. Thank you so much. 416 00:21:20,830 --> 00:21:24,400 WILDMAN: As the nation celebrates a successful end to the standoff, 417 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:27,770 a much-relieved Captain Phillips returns to the U.S., 418 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,240 and the lifeboat finds a new home 419 00:21:32,340 --> 00:21:34,740 here at the Seals' Museum, 420 00:21:34,850 --> 00:21:38,350 where it reminds visitors about the harrowing ordeal 421 00:21:38,450 --> 00:21:40,680 that was brought to an end 422 00:21:40,790 --> 00:21:42,590 by the heroic and steadfast efforts 423 00:21:42,690 --> 00:21:44,750 of America's most elite warriors-- 424 00:21:44,860 --> 00:21:47,260 the Navy Seals. 425 00:21:51,860 --> 00:21:53,760 Miami, Florida, 426 00:21:53,870 --> 00:21:57,770 is famous for its picturesque beaches and crystal clear surf. 427 00:21:57,870 --> 00:21:59,740 But away from the sun and sand 428 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,170 is an entirely different kind of tourist attraction, 429 00:22:03,270 --> 00:22:04,970 History Miami, 430 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,210 which celebrates the city's heritage. 431 00:22:08,310 --> 00:22:12,180 On display is an antique European navigation tool 432 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,120 called a quadrant, 433 00:22:14,220 --> 00:22:16,950 a dagger recovered from a Spanish shipwreck, 434 00:22:17,060 --> 00:22:19,690 and an 18th-century French cannon. 435 00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:25,160 But among these treasured antiques 436 00:22:25,260 --> 00:22:28,300 is one item which looks like it belongs in a scrapyard. 437 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,570 ZAMANILLO: The artifact is about 5 feet wide 438 00:22:30,670 --> 00:22:32,200 and 14 feet long. 439 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:33,870 It's very dark. 440 00:22:33,970 --> 00:22:36,610 It's made of metal and screws. 441 00:22:36,710 --> 00:22:38,710 There's a lot of rust and corrosion, 442 00:22:38,810 --> 00:22:40,310 and the paint is falling off. 443 00:22:40,410 --> 00:22:42,580 You can tell it went through something drastic. 444 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,420 WILDMAN: This dilapidated boat has an extraordinary story to tell. 445 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,320 ZAMANILLO: This makeshift vessel was built 446 00:22:52,420 --> 00:22:54,320 as part of a death-defying escape for freedom. 447 00:22:54,430 --> 00:22:57,090 [ Air horn blows ] 448 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,530 WILDMAN: April 1991 -- Cuba. 449 00:23:01,630 --> 00:23:05,570 Under the rule of despot Fidel Castro, 450 00:23:05,670 --> 00:23:06,870 this island nation 451 00:23:06,970 --> 00:23:10,110 is in the midst of an ongoing economic meltdown. 452 00:23:10,210 --> 00:23:12,940 Citizens are faced with regular shortages of food, 453 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:16,010 electricity, and other essentials. 454 00:23:16,110 --> 00:23:19,020 ZAMANILLO: They couldn't find what they needed to survive. 455 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:21,320 It was a very difficult time for people living there in Cuba. 456 00:23:21,420 --> 00:23:23,750 WILDMAN: And two friends, 457 00:23:23,860 --> 00:23:27,720 salesman Yuri Cardente and mechanic Juan Manuel Romero, 458 00:23:27,830 --> 00:23:29,260 have had enough. 459 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:33,100 They've decided they are going to escape by boat 460 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:34,430 to the United States. 461 00:23:34,530 --> 00:23:36,330 ZAMANILLO: Cubans view the U.S. 462 00:23:36,430 --> 00:23:38,430 as a place to start a new life, 463 00:23:38,540 --> 00:23:41,300 to get a new job, and to make a new living. 464 00:23:41,410 --> 00:23:44,370 WILDMAN: But the risks are high. 465 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,210 For Cardente and Romero to reach the ocean, 466 00:23:47,310 --> 00:23:49,210 they'll have to follow a river 467 00:23:49,310 --> 00:23:52,250 that lies in the shadow of a military outpost. 468 00:23:52,350 --> 00:23:54,850 With the area monitored by patrol boats, 469 00:23:54,950 --> 00:23:57,620 the threat of arrest is all too real. 470 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,120 ZAMANILLO: If you were caught, 471 00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:02,390 you would face over 2 or 3 years in prison. 472 00:24:02,490 --> 00:24:05,190 This is really risky. 473 00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:08,970 WILDMAN: Nevertheless, Cardente and Romero 474 00:24:09,070 --> 00:24:11,900 are convinced the prize outweighs the risks. 475 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,870 To make their dream a reality, 476 00:24:14,970 --> 00:24:19,110 the first thing they must do is build a boat. 477 00:24:19,210 --> 00:24:21,980 ZAMANILLO: They find a steering wheel, a rudder. 478 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,380 And then they made the rest by themselves. 479 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,580 They started bending the sheets of metal 480 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:28,050 and putting it all together. 481 00:24:28,150 --> 00:24:30,790 WILDMAN: Finally, 6 months later, 482 00:24:30,890 --> 00:24:33,360 the men finish building their makeshift vessel, 483 00:24:33,460 --> 00:24:36,560 the same one now on display at History Miami. 484 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,270 Then, they transport it to the river. 485 00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:46,670 ZAMANILLO: They're relieved that it even floats. 486 00:24:46,770 --> 00:24:50,170 They wanted to make sure they made very little noise. 487 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,240 They ran their motor at a very low idle speed, 488 00:24:53,340 --> 00:24:55,550 very low RPM. 489 00:24:55,650 --> 00:24:59,480 WILDMAN: Their voyage starts off smoothly 490 00:24:59,580 --> 00:25:01,920 until they approach the military base. 491 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,420 [ Motor stops ] 492 00:25:07,530 --> 00:25:08,830 The motor shuts off. 493 00:25:08,930 --> 00:25:12,600 WILDMAN: The two men are now marooned on a riverbank 494 00:25:12,700 --> 00:25:16,000 in an area that's crawling with patrol boats. 495 00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:17,800 They figured the boat would be seen, 496 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:19,140 and they would be discovered. 497 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:20,570 WILDMAN: So is this the end 498 00:25:20,670 --> 00:25:23,540 of Cardente and Romero's bid for freedom? 499 00:25:29,110 --> 00:25:32,550 It's October 1991 off the coast of Cuba. 500 00:25:32,650 --> 00:25:35,180 Desperate to escape a life of poverty, 501 00:25:35,290 --> 00:25:37,920 two young Cubans have built a makeshift boat 502 00:25:38,020 --> 00:25:40,220 and are trying to sail it for America. 503 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:41,820 But just as they set out, 504 00:25:41,930 --> 00:25:45,530 their vessel breaks down in full view of a naval outpost. 505 00:25:45,630 --> 00:25:48,930 So has their bid for freedom been sunk? 506 00:25:50,870 --> 00:25:53,570 The men take stock of their situation. 507 00:25:53,670 --> 00:25:55,340 ZAMANILLO: Juan did a quick inspection of the boat 508 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,070 and realized there was a small part that needed to be replaced. 509 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,680 WILDMAN: Juan replaces the defective component... 510 00:26:03,780 --> 00:26:06,050 [ Engine starts ] 511 00:26:06,150 --> 00:26:09,920 ...and gets the boat up and running again. 512 00:26:10,020 --> 00:26:13,290 Finally, the men slip the tiny vessel 513 00:26:13,390 --> 00:26:17,690 past the military base and out into the open ocean. 514 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:19,160 It was nighttime. 515 00:26:19,260 --> 00:26:20,760 And they really couldn't see where they were going. 516 00:26:20,870 --> 00:26:25,100 WILDMAN: Using only a wrist compass as a guide, 517 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,340 they head towards the Florida coast. 518 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,370 But they're not in the clear yet. 519 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:35,440 Suddenly, they encounter a massive ocean liner. 520 00:26:35,550 --> 00:26:39,080 [ Air horn blowing ] 521 00:26:39,180 --> 00:26:41,580 It looked like it could be Cuban. 522 00:26:41,690 --> 00:26:44,620 WILDMAN: The hulking vessel turns in their direction 523 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,920 and heads straight for them. 524 00:26:47,020 --> 00:26:48,790 They thought they were gonna be caught. 525 00:26:48,890 --> 00:26:51,460 WILDMAN: But as the ship comes into view, 526 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,100 they realize it's Honduran, 527 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,300 an ally of the United States. 528 00:26:57,770 --> 00:27:00,540 The ship's captain summons the U.S. Coast Guard, 529 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:04,110 and the men are escorted to America. 530 00:27:04,210 --> 00:27:07,680 At 8:00 p.m. on October 4th, 531 00:27:07,780 --> 00:27:10,610 24 hours after they left Cuba, 532 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,050 Yuri and Juan arrive in Key West, Florida. 533 00:27:14,150 --> 00:27:15,950 ZAMANILLO: The men were elated. 534 00:27:16,050 --> 00:27:18,320 They finally got to the United States. 535 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:20,220 It was a reality. 536 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,830 WILDMAN: The men take up residence in Miami, 537 00:27:22,930 --> 00:27:24,960 where Yuri opens an auto body shop 538 00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:27,560 and Juan finds work as a mechanic. 539 00:27:27,670 --> 00:27:31,700 Today, this 14-foot, metal-hull boat 540 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,300 sits in the History Miami museum archives. 541 00:27:35,410 --> 00:27:38,440 It serves as a reminder of two courageous men 542 00:27:38,540 --> 00:27:41,210 who followed their dreams to build a better life. 543 00:27:46,250 --> 00:27:47,450 Boston, Massachusetts, 544 00:27:47,550 --> 00:27:50,550 is home to many American firsts. 545 00:27:50,660 --> 00:27:53,890 It's the site of the country's first public park, 546 00:27:53,990 --> 00:27:58,490 first college, and even the first lighthouse. 547 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,100 Also on that list 548 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,100 is the nation's first historical organization, 549 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,740 the Massachusetts Historical Society. 550 00:28:10,810 --> 00:28:12,310 Its treasures include 551 00:28:12,410 --> 00:28:15,440 epaulets worn by General George Washington 552 00:28:15,550 --> 00:28:17,650 during the American Revolution, 553 00:28:17,750 --> 00:28:21,420 a cannon fired in the War of 1812, 554 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,220 and a pen used by President Abraham Lincoln 555 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,220 during the Civil War. 556 00:28:29,330 --> 00:28:32,700 But among these reminders of conflict and battle 557 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,570 is an item that describes a much more personal struggle. 558 00:28:36,670 --> 00:28:38,270 FLEMMING: It's made of leather and paper. 559 00:28:38,370 --> 00:28:40,340 The paper is quite brittle. 560 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,940 It's almost 300 years old. 561 00:28:46,110 --> 00:28:49,450 WILDMAN: These aged pages relay a harrowing tale 562 00:28:49,550 --> 00:28:52,380 of danger, endurance, and hope. 563 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:56,320 This rare book tells the story about the struggle to survive. 564 00:29:00,260 --> 00:29:02,930 WILDMAN: It's 1722. 565 00:29:03,030 --> 00:29:07,330 19-year-old Massachusetts native Philip Ashton is the captain 566 00:29:07,430 --> 00:29:10,070 of a small fishing ship named the Milton. 567 00:29:10,170 --> 00:29:12,940 He was a pretty strong-willed and resilient guy 568 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:17,270 and was among the hardiest of the men from Massachusetts. 569 00:29:19,340 --> 00:29:21,410 WILDMAN: One day in June, Ashton's crew 570 00:29:21,510 --> 00:29:23,250 is off the coast of Nova Scotia, 571 00:29:23,350 --> 00:29:24,650 fishing for cod, 572 00:29:24,750 --> 00:29:28,520 when their vessel is suddenly attacked. 573 00:29:28,620 --> 00:29:33,360 Pirates storm the ship and take Ashton prisoner. 574 00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:35,860 For months, he's held in captivity 575 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,660 as the pirates sail up and down the Atlantic coast 576 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,500 until one day when they take him to a deserted island 577 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,930 off the coast of Honduras to help gather supplies. 578 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:48,240 Pirates, during this period, loved the island 579 00:29:48,340 --> 00:29:49,640 because it was uninhabited. 580 00:29:49,740 --> 00:29:54,010 And it was very well known as a sort of a pirate hideout. 581 00:29:54,110 --> 00:29:57,810 WILDMAN: There, Ashton seizes an opportunity to escape. 582 00:30:00,690 --> 00:30:02,720 FLEMMING: He kept walking and walking. 583 00:30:02,820 --> 00:30:05,250 When he was just far enough away from the pirates, 584 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,820 he turned and dashed into the woods. 585 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,160 WILDMAN: Ashton hides for hours, 586 00:30:14,270 --> 00:30:17,330 until his frustrated captors give up their search. 587 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,570 FLEMMING: Philip Ashton saw the ship sail away. 588 00:30:21,670 --> 00:30:25,770 And he was overjoyed that he was free of the pirates. 589 00:30:30,310 --> 00:30:34,480 WILDMAN: But the gravity of his situation quickly sets in. 590 00:30:34,590 --> 00:30:38,120 FLEMMING: Now he was completely alone on an uninhabited island. 591 00:30:38,220 --> 00:30:40,060 And he brought nothing with him. 592 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,130 He had no shoes. He had no gun. 593 00:30:43,230 --> 00:30:45,260 He had no way to build a fire. 594 00:30:48,470 --> 00:30:52,940 WILDMAN: Ashton has no boat, and he can't swim. 595 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,040 He also has no weapons to defend himself. 596 00:30:56,140 --> 00:30:58,940 And the island is teeming with alligators. 597 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,610 Ashton couldn't have been more unprepared. 598 00:31:01,710 --> 00:31:04,780 He didn't know whether he was gonna live or not. 599 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:07,020 WILDMAN: All he can do is try and survive 600 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,090 and hope for rescue. 601 00:31:10,190 --> 00:31:13,420 So he gathers materials to build a shelter. 602 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,520 Then he searches for food. 603 00:31:15,630 --> 00:31:17,930 He was forced to literally claw out a living 604 00:31:18,030 --> 00:31:19,430 with his bare hands, 605 00:31:19,530 --> 00:31:22,800 surviving on whatever he could find growing on the island. 606 00:31:22,900 --> 00:31:24,770 He even dug sea turtle eggs 607 00:31:24,870 --> 00:31:27,640 out of the sand and ate them raw. 608 00:31:29,970 --> 00:31:32,370 WILDMAN: But, eventually, the eggs run out, 609 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,180 and starvation sets in. 610 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,880 FLEMMING: At this rate, Ashton will be dead in a day or two. 611 00:31:38,980 --> 00:31:40,380 It was looking like this was the end 612 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,720 of the line for Philip Ashton. 613 00:31:42,820 --> 00:31:45,890 WILDMAN: So is this unlucky castaway doomed? 614 00:31:52,900 --> 00:31:55,760 It's 1723 in the Caribbean. 615 00:31:55,870 --> 00:31:57,300 For nine long months, 616 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:58,970 fisherman Philip Ashton 617 00:31:59,070 --> 00:32:01,040 has been stranded on a deserted island, 618 00:32:01,140 --> 00:32:03,040 struggling to stay alive. 619 00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:05,170 Now he's on the brink of death. 620 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:09,240 So will Philip Ashton ever see civilization again? 621 00:32:11,650 --> 00:32:14,220 Ashton is on the brink of starvation 622 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,850 when he spies something that could offer him hope. 623 00:32:16,950 --> 00:32:19,220 He was sitting on his island. 624 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,290 And he saw a solitary canoe paddling across the water. 625 00:32:23,390 --> 00:32:25,430 He couldn't believe his eyes. 626 00:32:27,630 --> 00:32:29,930 WILDMAN: A man comes ashore and tells Ashton 627 00:32:30,030 --> 00:32:31,600 that he's a settler from the mainland, 628 00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:35,140 which is about 30 miles away. 629 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,710 He agrees to help Ashton off the island 630 00:32:37,810 --> 00:32:40,910 but says that first, he must find him some food. 631 00:32:41,010 --> 00:32:43,650 FLEMMING: He was gonna go off hunting on some of the nearby islands. 632 00:32:43,750 --> 00:32:45,950 So this must have been an incredible moment 633 00:32:46,050 --> 00:32:48,320 for Philip Ashton. 634 00:32:48,420 --> 00:32:49,920 WILDMAN: Just after the hunter leaves, 635 00:32:50,020 --> 00:32:53,820 however, a tremendous storm breaks out. 636 00:32:56,190 --> 00:32:58,790 The man does not return. 637 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:00,730 FLEMMING: It must have been incredibly hard for him 638 00:33:00,830 --> 00:33:02,030 to be, once again, 639 00:33:02,130 --> 00:33:04,370 in a position of being all alone 640 00:33:04,470 --> 00:33:07,300 when he realized the man wasn't coming back. 641 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:11,710 But all is not lost. 642 00:33:11,810 --> 00:33:15,010 The man had left behind some of his tools -- 643 00:33:15,110 --> 00:33:19,450 a knife, some tongs, and a way to make a fire. 644 00:33:19,550 --> 00:33:23,320 Ashton was able to catch crawfish and lobsters. 645 00:33:23,420 --> 00:33:24,850 He's able to cook food. 646 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,090 He's able to keep himself warm. 647 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,130 WILDMAN: Philip Ashton puts the tools to good use 648 00:33:33,230 --> 00:33:37,130 and musters a newfound resolve to survive. 649 00:33:37,230 --> 00:33:39,970 FLEMMING: Ashton was an incredibly determined guy. 650 00:33:40,070 --> 00:33:42,200 He did everything he could to keep himself alive 651 00:33:42,310 --> 00:33:44,840 on that island. 652 00:33:48,110 --> 00:33:50,510 WILDMAN: Ashton, now 22 years old, 653 00:33:50,610 --> 00:33:53,550 fights for his life for nearly seven more months, 654 00:33:53,650 --> 00:33:56,220 until he is spotted by a passing ship. 655 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:58,120 FLEMMING: He couldn't believe his eyes. 656 00:33:58,220 --> 00:34:01,020 He must have thought he was hallucinating. 657 00:34:01,130 --> 00:34:02,960 WILDMAN: He's taken on board 658 00:34:03,060 --> 00:34:06,060 and eventually finds passage back to Massachusetts. 659 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:11,070 As bad as his luck was before, this was simply miraculous. 660 00:34:11,170 --> 00:34:14,270 WILDMAN: After being lost at sea for almost three years, 661 00:34:14,370 --> 00:34:19,510 Ashton's ordeal comes to an end in May of 1725. 662 00:34:19,610 --> 00:34:21,410 FLEMMING: Ashton came home with one of the most 663 00:34:21,510 --> 00:34:23,680 remarkable sea stories of this era. 664 00:34:23,780 --> 00:34:27,320 And he wrote it down into a book 665 00:34:27,420 --> 00:34:29,380 that recounted all of his experiences 666 00:34:29,490 --> 00:34:32,790 with the pirates and on the island. 667 00:34:32,890 --> 00:34:35,060 WILDMAN: The book, Ashton's memorial, 668 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:37,430 is published to enormous success. 669 00:34:37,530 --> 00:34:40,430 And the public embraces his remarkable tale. 670 00:34:40,530 --> 00:34:42,230 FLEMMING: Philip Ashton had nothing. 671 00:34:42,330 --> 00:34:45,730 And he was incredibly lucky to survive. 672 00:34:48,570 --> 00:34:52,770 Today, this rare copy of Philip Ashton's memoir 673 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:53,940 is in the collection 674 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,910 of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 675 00:34:57,010 --> 00:35:00,750 It recalls a determined man's incredible will to survive 676 00:35:00,850 --> 00:35:03,520 facing impossible odds. 677 00:35:07,930 --> 00:35:10,290 Indianapolis, Indiana. 678 00:35:10,390 --> 00:35:11,560 This city is synonymous 679 00:35:11,660 --> 00:35:14,460 with some of the biggest car races on the planet, 680 00:35:14,570 --> 00:35:16,870 earning it the nickname, 681 00:35:16,970 --> 00:35:19,100 "The Motorsports Capital of the World." 682 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,770 But not far from its famous raceway 683 00:35:21,870 --> 00:35:23,240 and the roaring engines 684 00:35:23,340 --> 00:35:25,910 is an institution of quiet remembrance -- 685 00:35:26,010 --> 00:35:28,910 the Indiana War Memorial Museum. 686 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:34,620 Honoring the valor and sacrifice 687 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:36,220 of those who have served this country, 688 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:38,520 the noble institution's collection 689 00:35:38,620 --> 00:35:41,890 includes battle-worn military uniforms, 690 00:35:41,990 --> 00:35:44,230 a clock from a Japanese submarine., 691 00:35:44,330 --> 00:35:46,260 and a Tiffany Silver Serving set 692 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:52,330 used by naval officers in the 1890s. 693 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:53,870 But one artifact here 694 00:35:53,970 --> 00:35:57,240 tolls for some of the bravest servicemen of them all. 695 00:35:57,340 --> 00:36:00,110 It is 20 inches wide and 25 inches tall. 696 00:36:00,210 --> 00:36:04,750 It's made out of bronze and weighs 800 pounds. 697 00:36:04,850 --> 00:36:08,680 It's been around for almost a century. 698 00:36:08,790 --> 00:36:10,250 WILDMAN: This bell recalls 699 00:36:10,350 --> 00:36:13,090 one of the most incredible survival stories 700 00:36:13,190 --> 00:36:14,360 in American history. 701 00:36:14,460 --> 00:36:16,430 LEVY: During the span of only 12 minutes, 702 00:36:16,530 --> 00:36:19,360 these sailors went from peacefully sleeping in their bunks 703 00:36:19,460 --> 00:36:21,100 to fighting for their lives. 704 00:36:24,330 --> 00:36:27,570 WILDMAN: It's July 1945 in the Pacific Ocean. 705 00:36:27,670 --> 00:36:31,840 The crew of the naval cruiser, the U.S.S. Indianapolis 706 00:36:31,940 --> 00:36:34,880 has just completed a top secret mission, 707 00:36:34,980 --> 00:36:37,180 taking the world's first atomic bomb 708 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:38,780 from San Francisco 709 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:41,180 to the tiny Pacific island of Tinian 710 00:36:41,290 --> 00:36:43,650 to eventually be dropped on Hiroshima. 711 00:36:43,750 --> 00:36:46,990 It took only 10 days to deliver its historic cargo. 712 00:36:47,090 --> 00:36:50,930 WILDMAN: Now the 1,200-strong crew of the Indianapolis 713 00:36:51,030 --> 00:36:52,430 are under orders to sail 714 00:36:52,530 --> 00:36:55,900 to an American base in the Philippines. 715 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:57,470 LEVY: They thought it would be really smooth voyage 716 00:36:57,570 --> 00:36:58,830 because the Navy told them 717 00:36:58,940 --> 00:37:00,870 there was no Japanese submarine activity in that area. 718 00:37:00,970 --> 00:37:05,210 WILDMAN: But halfway through the trip, there's trouble. 719 00:37:05,310 --> 00:37:07,740 Just after midnight on July 30th... 720 00:37:09,050 --> 00:37:10,950 ...the Indianapolis is rocked 721 00:37:11,050 --> 00:37:15,120 by a series of deafening blasts. 722 00:37:15,220 --> 00:37:17,750 The vessel is under attack. 723 00:37:17,860 --> 00:37:19,490 LEVY: The first torpedo hit the front of the ship -- 724 00:37:19,590 --> 00:37:21,290 the bow -- and severed it. 725 00:37:21,390 --> 00:37:23,490 The second torpedo hit midship. 726 00:37:24,430 --> 00:37:26,900 WILDMAN: The blasts ripped through the ship, 727 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:28,300 killing hundreds of men. 728 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,830 And within minutes, the Indianapolis starts to sink. 729 00:37:31,940 --> 00:37:35,640 The surviving sailors send out a frantic S.O.S. signal 730 00:37:35,740 --> 00:37:38,110 and then proceed to abandon ship. 731 00:37:38,210 --> 00:37:40,840 It's an unbelievably chaotic and terrifying situation. 732 00:37:40,940 --> 00:37:43,980 The ocean was covered with oil, debris, 733 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:45,650 even body parts of their shipmates. 734 00:37:48,590 --> 00:37:51,190 WILDMAN: Just 12 minutes later, 735 00:37:51,290 --> 00:37:54,120 the Indianapolis disappears beneath the waves, 736 00:37:54,220 --> 00:37:56,190 leaving some 800 sailors 737 00:37:56,290 --> 00:37:59,290 floating in the open Pacific Ocean. 738 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:01,360 For hours, the men tread water, 739 00:38:01,470 --> 00:38:05,730 hoping that help will soon arrive. 740 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:09,470 But by dawn the next morning, no one has come. 741 00:38:09,570 --> 00:38:12,510 The men estimate that unless they are rescued, 742 00:38:12,610 --> 00:38:15,710 they will perish from either exhaustion or starvation 743 00:38:15,810 --> 00:38:17,410 within a few days. 744 00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:19,010 The sailors were fighting to survive. 745 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:22,320 WILDMAN: It seems like things can't get any worse. 746 00:38:22,420 --> 00:38:23,620 Little did they know 747 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:25,850 an even more terrifying menace 748 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:27,920 is lurking beneath the surface. 749 00:38:32,930 --> 00:38:34,600 Their horror is just beginning. 750 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:46,040 July 1945 in the Pacific Ocean. 751 00:38:46,140 --> 00:38:47,940 The U.S.S. Indianapolis 752 00:38:48,050 --> 00:38:50,510 has just been sunk by Japanese torpedoes 753 00:38:50,620 --> 00:38:54,050 leaving 800 helpless sailors fighting for survival. 754 00:38:54,150 --> 00:38:57,590 Little do they know, the worst is yet to come. 755 00:38:57,690 --> 00:39:01,420 What chilling fate awaits them beneath the surface? 756 00:39:04,860 --> 00:39:06,930 The men are bobbing in the ocean... 757 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:17,770 ...when suddenly one of them disappears underwater. 758 00:39:21,010 --> 00:39:22,110 Moments later, 759 00:39:22,210 --> 00:39:24,850 another sailor is pulled beneath the surface. 760 00:39:27,890 --> 00:39:30,490 The men make a horrifying realization. 761 00:39:30,590 --> 00:39:33,620 They are surrounded by sharks. 762 00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:36,030 At first, the sharks started feeding on the dead bodies, 763 00:39:36,130 --> 00:39:38,130 Then they turn their attention to the living, 764 00:39:38,230 --> 00:39:40,760 especially those who are injured or bleeding. 765 00:39:42,300 --> 00:39:45,000 WILDMAN: Each kill draws more of the fearsome predators 766 00:39:45,100 --> 00:39:46,240 to the area. 767 00:39:46,340 --> 00:39:49,310 Each attack releases more blood in the water, 768 00:39:49,410 --> 00:39:52,580 setting off a feeding frenzy amongst the hungry sharks. 769 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,910 WILDMAN: The sailors are at the complete mercy 770 00:39:55,010 --> 00:39:57,610 of these vicious beasts. 771 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:00,220 It's like mayhem in the water. There's blood everywhere. 772 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,190 Arms flailing, men screaming in terror, 773 00:40:03,290 --> 00:40:06,020 watching their buddies being pulled under the water 774 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:09,160 and be eaten alive. 775 00:40:09,260 --> 00:40:13,160 WILDMAN: It seems like the crew's fate is sealed, 776 00:40:13,260 --> 00:40:15,730 but the struggling sailors are about to do something 777 00:40:15,830 --> 00:40:18,130 that could give them a fighting chance. 778 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,700 The men cling to each other in the water 779 00:40:20,810 --> 00:40:22,870 forming large pods, 780 00:40:22,970 --> 00:40:26,140 they take turns sheltering in the middle of each group. 781 00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:27,680 LEVY: Now the safest place to be 782 00:40:27,780 --> 00:40:29,250 was in the middle of those groups 783 00:40:29,350 --> 00:40:30,480 because the sharks were picking off 784 00:40:30,580 --> 00:40:31,650 those on the perimeter. 785 00:40:33,250 --> 00:40:35,380 WILDMAN: For days the men cling to life, 786 00:40:35,490 --> 00:40:38,350 fending off the sharks and praying for rescue. 787 00:40:38,460 --> 00:40:41,560 Each morning, there were fewer and fewer survivors 788 00:40:41,660 --> 00:40:43,860 in the water. 789 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:47,230 WILDMAN: Finally on August 2nd, 1945, 790 00:40:47,330 --> 00:40:50,370 after four days stranded in the open ocean, 791 00:40:50,470 --> 00:40:52,330 there's a glimmer of hope. 792 00:40:53,370 --> 00:40:55,140 [ Airplane engine roars in distance ] 793 00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:56,540 [ All shouting indistinctly ] 794 00:40:56,640 --> 00:41:00,040 WILDMAN: A U.S. Army seaplane on a routine patrol 795 00:41:00,140 --> 00:41:03,050 spots the survivors and radios for help. 796 00:41:03,150 --> 00:41:06,580 LEVY: The survivors in the water, they were overjoyed. 797 00:41:08,350 --> 00:41:10,120 WILDMAN: Hours later, 798 00:41:10,220 --> 00:41:12,120 a rescue ship arrives on the scene 799 00:41:12,220 --> 00:41:14,160 and begins pulling sailors out of the water. 800 00:41:15,860 --> 00:41:22,930 Of the original 1,200-man crew, just 317 men are left alive. 801 00:41:23,030 --> 00:41:24,600 The sinking of the Indianapolis goes down as 802 00:41:24,700 --> 00:41:26,940 one of the worst disasters in American history. 803 00:41:29,970 --> 00:41:32,910 Today the bell of the U.S.S. Indianapolis 804 00:41:33,010 --> 00:41:37,380 remains on display at the Indiana War Memorial Museum. 805 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:39,050 It serves as a testament 806 00:41:39,150 --> 00:41:40,450 to the brave soldiers 807 00:41:40,550 --> 00:41:44,520 who endured a terrifying tragedy in the service of their country. 808 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:50,160 From a miraculous underwater bubble 809 00:41:50,260 --> 00:41:52,660 to Somali pirates. 810 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:54,960 Seventy-six days on the open seas 811 00:41:55,070 --> 00:41:57,670 to a death-defying journey to freedom. 812 00:41:57,770 --> 00:42:01,140 I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum. 812 00:42:02,305 --> 00:43:02,734 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org