New Netflix documentary shows how one survivor fought so hard to save his family14:07, 11 Jul 2026A couple have revealed how they made it through the worst maritime disaster since the Titanic while protecting their young child.‌Shipwrecked: Nightmare at sea is now available on Netflix and chronicles the devastating true story of what befell luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia. According to the synopsis, the feature-length documentary includes previously unseen footage alongside survivor testimonies to piece together the 2012 tragedy.‌The ship collided with a rock after venturing too close to the Italian shore near the town of Giglio. More than 4,000 people were aboard including both passengers and crew. 32 people lost their lives.‌Netflix's new documentary explores what unfolded from the perspective of those who survived, as well as translations of recorded exchanges with the captain, who was imprisoned for his part in the catastrophe, reports OK!.Two of those who endured it all were John and Meghan Scimone. The couple were on the voyage to savour one of their first holidays as a young family.Their daughter Lilah was just 14 months old at the time of the incident in January 2012. They revealed that they were going through their bedtime routine when disaster struck.‌They felt unusually powerful vibrations in their cabin. As they scooped up their child, who almost immediately began to cry, and dashed towards the deck where the lifeboats were located, the ship suddenly lost power.Forced to rely on their voices so as not to lose one another in the darkness, John and Meghan pulled on their life jackets, only to discover there were no lifeboats remaining on their side of the deck.‌As the vessel began to tilt, John recalls how the corridor they found themselves in turned into something resembling a giant slide. Realising it was their only means of escape, they slid down — but Lilah suffered a severe blow to the head in the process.In a deeply haunting moment, Meghan recounts how, after dropping into the water, she desperately tried to attract the attention of a woman aboard a nearby lifeboat, pleading with her to take her child to safety. The woman simply shook her head.They eventually managed to get the attention of a lifeboat captain, who pulled them all to safety. In the aftermath of the harrowing ordeal, John admitted he was left in a very dark place.‌He said: "When we got home, I was completely broken. I was diagnosed with PTSD, I had panic attacks. I had nightmares."Towards the close of the documentary, John breaks down in tears as he mentions that he thanks God's grace his family survived. A voice from behind the camera then tells him: "John, she survived because of you."He replied: "I just fought so hard that night to save them. There were times when I thought we weren't going to get off (the ship). But I'm so glad we did."‌Understandably, John and Meghan were deeply concerned about the effect the ordeal would have on their young daughter. However, they say she went on to enjoy a perfectly normal upbringing.John said: "Lilah is the most well-rounded, grounded, incredible 15-year-old. And she's the most beautiful ballerina. She's just such a beautiful young woman."Article continues belowThe pair also disclosed that shortly after finally making it back home, they found out Meghan was expecting and would have been pregnant on that fateful night. She said: "One of the greatest gifts I could've been given was that pregnancy."She went on to reveal that her scan suggested the date of conception was the same date as the cruise disaster, despite knowing that couldn't possibly be the case. John quipped: "Now you know why I didn't have time to put my shirt on!"Shipwrecked: Nightmare At Sea is streaming on Netflix.