Mayday

A closer look at the story

Mayday is a gripping documentary series that examines major real-life air disasters from around the world. Also known as Air Crash Investigation, the series looks in detail at aeroplane and helicopter accidents in an effort to establish how and why these tragedies occurred. At the core of every episode is a carefully produced dramatised reconstruction of the event. These recreations draw on recovered cockpit voice recordings, transcripts of exchanges with air traffic control and the testimony of survivors and eyewitnesses. As a result, viewers can almost feel the tension and pressure building in the cockpit and the cabin. Interviews with aviation specialists, news footage and computer graphics make the technical details of each accident easier to follow and raise important questions about aviation safety. Created by Bernard Vaillot and André Barro and airing on Discovery since 2003, this Canadian series is narrated by Stephen Bogaert.