Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Josh Elliott, this three-part series documents extraordinary stories of survival, featuring first-hand accounts from ordinary people who faced extraordinary circumstances to survive and eventually recover from their ordeal. ESCAPE, a special presentation of DATELINE, highlights these inspirational people who are rebuilding their lives after miraculously living to tell about the most devastating disasters in modern history. Each two-hour episode features a different disaster, including: the Costa Concordia shipwreck; the Cedar Fire; and the Indian Ocean tsunami. In the series premiere, viewers meet six survivors from the January 2012 the Costa Concordia shipwreck whose ingenuity and perseverance kept them alive, despite dangerous and chaotic conditions -- and with what they say was little guidance from crew members. Dancer Rose Metcalf, newlywed couple Benji Smith and Emily Lau, triathlete Jay Garcia, and seasoned travelers Dr. Steven Ledtke and Kathy Ledtke recount their experiences and the terrifying moment of crisis that came out of nowhere. They also reveal intimate details of their incredible escape and recovery -- sharing their personal struggles, triumphs, and hopeful plans for the future.