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First Person

An American flees war-torn Yemen by small boat on the Red Sea - and other remarkable personal stories.

We meet Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a San Francisco man who escaped war-torn Yemen by riding a small fishing boat across the rocky Red Sea. Then we learn about a privately-funded effort to rescue and feed imperilled migrants on the Mediterranean. And we take flight with US Marine Corps Capt. Katie Higgins, the first female pilot in America’s top aerial display team.

Also, a Los Angeles artist designs an Ebola protective suit that allows patients to see the faces of those helping. We meet another Los Angeles artist— ‘El Maestro’ — who is known for crafting some of the most intricate mariachi suits in the world. And an Indo-Guyanese musician who now lives in New York finds a niche bringing the city’s harmoniums back to life.

Image: Mokhtar Alkhanshali (left) and his boat helmsman make their way across the Red Sea after fleeing Yemen. Credit: Mokhtar Alkhanshali

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27 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Apr 2015 19:32GMT
±«Óãtv World Service Online

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Chapters

  • Harrowing Escape

    An American makes it out of war-torn Yemen by riding a fishing boat across the Red Sea.

    Duration: 04:32

  • Hungry at Sea

    To save migrants on the Mediterranean, you need medical aid - and a few brave cooks.

    Duration: 03:57

  • Blue Angels

    A US Marine pilot breaks the gender barrier in one of the world's most elite squadrons.

    Duration: 04:09

  • Hazmat Suits

    For Ebola patients, there's now a way to see the faces of the medical workers helping.

    Duration: 03:30

  • El Maestro

    Meet the unlikely master of mariachi suits, a Los Angeles-based tailor from Guatemala.

    Duration: 04:19

  • Harmonium Blues

    How the harmonium king of New York brings broken instruments back to life.

    Duration: 06:26

Broadcasts

  • Sat 18 Apr 2015 04:32GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service Online
  • Sat 18 Apr 2015 13:32GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service Online
  • Sat 18 Apr 2015 19:32GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service Online

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  • Boston Calling

    How the world looks through American eyes, and the myriad and unexpected ways that the world influences the United States.