How to survive a fall from 33,000 feet?
On 26th January 1972, JAT Yugoslav Airlines flight attendant, Vesna Vulovi?, survived a 33,000 feet (10,160m) fall … without a parachute!
Today is 9th August, 2004. So why am I talking about this now?
Well, it started off as a lunch time discussion about Singapore’s National Day Celebrations taking place around the Kallang Stadium later this evening. One of my housemates frowned in disbelief when he heard me mention about this skydive event in the days to come, with one guy doing a free fall. In an effort to try convince him, I mentioned about having once read about a flight attendant surviving a fall from 30,000 feet. He said that’s impossible. So I Googled around and prooved I was right! On BOTH counts 
On 26th January 1972, a JAT Yugoslav (Flight 364) DC-9 
(similar to the on the right) from Copenhagen to Zagreb and Belgrade exploded 33,000 feet over Srbska-Kamenice in Czechoslovakia (present day Czech Republic). The Croatian National Movement (Ustashe) later claimed responsibility behind this bombing.
Vesna Vulovi? holds the Guinness Book of Records world record for the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160 meters (33,000 feet)
She is only survivor amongst the 29 passengers and crew on board that flight. She was found strapped to her seat at the rear section of the aircraft. She broke both legs and was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down.
Quotes :
“I was so lucky to have survived! I hit the earth – not the trees, not the snow, but the frozen ground.” “I believe we are masters of our lives - we hold all the cards and it is up to us to use them right.”
Other falls without parachute [Click here for source]Flight Sergeant Nicholas Steven Alkemade was on a bombing mission over Germany on 23 March 1944 when his Lancaster bomber flying at 18,000 feet was blazed apart and in flames when he was forced to jump, without a parachute or be burned to death. He dove out of his destroyed aircraft hoping on a quick death. His speed accelerated to over 120 miles per hour and he impacted on a snow covered sloping forest. He was completely uninjured and later captured by the Germans who refused to believe his story.“Lieutenant I. M. Chisov of the former Soviet Union was flying his Ilyushin 4 on a bitter cold day in January 1942, when it was attacked by 12 German Messerschmitts. Convinced that he had no chance of surviving if he staged with his badly battered plane, Chisov bailed out at 21,980 feet. With the fighters still buzzing around, Chisov cleverly decided to fall freely out of the arena. It was his plan not to open his chute until he was down to only 1000 ft above the ground. Unfortunately, he lost consciousness en route. As luck would have it, he crashed at the edge of a steep ravine covered with 3 ft of snow. Hitting at about 120 mi/h, he plowed along its slope until he came to rest at the bottom. Chisov awoke 20 min later, bruised and sore, but miraculously he had suffered only a concussion of the spine and a fractured pelvis. Three and one-half months later he was back at work as a flight instructor.”
The man who is known to jump without wearing a parachute Greg Gasson
Tsuey Said,
November 14, 2004 @ 12:56 pm
Yah, i agree with the statement saying that “I believe we are masters of our lives - we hold all the cards and it is up to us to use them right.” It doesnt mean that we dont believe the existence of God. But a person’s mentality is playing an even vital role of walking down the road. No guarantee that we would gain from trying but without trying we gain nothing for sure. We will never give a complete definition without having obstacles in life.
Mark Vee Said,
December 15, 2004 @ 2:22 am
Hi,
Just to correct your entry ..
Flight Sergeant Nicholas Steven Alkemade was on a bombing mission over Germany on 23 March 1944 when his Lancaster bomber flying at 18,000 feet was blazed apart and in flames when he was forced to jump, without a parachute [he couldn’t get past the flames to his parachute] or be burned to death. He dove out of his destroyed aircraft hoping on a quick death. His speed accelerated to over 120 miles per hour and he impacted on a snow covered sloping forest.[he actually hit snow covered branches of tall pine trees which broke his fall.] He was completely uninjured [ not true he was quite badly though not seriously injured] and later captured by the Germans who refused to believe his story. [again not so he was a much celebrated prisoner-of-war and despite believing his story to be “propaganda” the Germans attempted to use him for their own propaganda purposes.]
info from Luke Alkemade (Flight Sergeant Nicholas Steven Alkemade’s Grandson) as part of UK TV Series Bomber Crew [he got to fly a mission in a Lancaster Bomber in his Grandfathers “position” of rear-gunner..
Mark.
Anonymous Said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:23 am
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