Mike Corey (Host)

One Coast Guard helicopter had tried and failed to rescue them.

Now, a second chopper was on the way, with a third being deployed as backup, all flying in one of the worst Alaska winter storms anyone had ever seen.

This is Episode 3, Hanging On.

Bob Doyle pops to the surface, coughing up seawater, and grabs the rope that's tied around his waist.

He hopes that his skipper, Mark Morley, is still attached too.

By now, Bob is too weak to hang on to Morley each time a wave hits them.

Morley's survival suit began leaking not long after they abandoned ship.

Now, hours later, he's in worse shape than Bob or the other two survivors tied to the rope.

Mike DiCapua and Gigi Mork.

Bob thinks back to his Coast Guard training.

Morley has stopped shivering, which means his core temperature has dropped below 85 degrees, the threshold for profound hypothermia.

Blood flow to his extremities has almost stopped.

He could lose fingers, toes, even a leg.

Or he could die.

What Morley needs, what they all need, is to get out of the water.

But there's no chance of that anytime soon.

After trying and failing for hours to rescue them, a Coast Guard helicopter flew away moments ago, leaving them alone amid the towering waves.

Bob reaches Morley, who's floating on his back, limp as a jellyfish.

Bob pulls him close, propping the skipper's head on his chest.

But seconds later, Bob feels himself rising.