Vesna Vulović - Flight attendant who survived fall from ~10,000 m without parachute

Details

Photo

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Name

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Synopsis

Vesna Vulović survived the mid‑air explosion of her DC‑9 plane because she was strapped to her seat at the rear, which remained largely intact and fell onto a snow‑covered mountainside. She was only 22 and had not even been scheduled for the flight. Her fall of roughly 10,160 meters (33,333 feet) remains the highest free fall survived without a parachute, earning her a place in the Guinness World Records.

Case Type

Survival

Location

Srbská Kamenice, then Czechoslovakia

Date or Period

26 January 1972

Consequences

Guinness World Record for highest fall survived without a parachute; became a national icon; raised awareness about aviation safety.

Status

Documented

Evidence

Crash investigation reports, medical records, Guinness World Records documentation.