Vesna Vulovi was a Serbian flight attendant who holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160 m . Vesna Vulovic, an ex-air stewardess who survived a 10 kilometre fall to Earth, is seen in a 2008 file photo. [3][6], Air safety investigators attributed Vulovi's survival to her being trapped by a food cart in the DC-9's fuselage as it broke away from the rest of the aircraft and plummeted towards the ground. These injuries resulted in her being temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Autoridades iugoslavas suspeitaram que nacionalistas croatas fossem os culpados, mas ningum jamais foi preso. She was rushed to a hospital, where she fell into a coma for 10 days. Ms. Vulovic was the only one of 28 passengers and crew members to survive but just barely. Both of her legs had been broken along with three vertebrae, multiple ribs and a fractured pelvis. ( , 3. 1950 23. 2016 [1]) 10.160 . She went on to put her celebrity at the service of political causes, protesting against Slobodan Miloevis rule in the 1990s and later campaigning for liberal forces in elections. [11] Her injuries resulted in her being temporarily paralyzed below the waist. Vesna Vulovic, stewardess who survived 33,000ft fall, dies [1][2] She was discovered by villager Bruno Honke, who heard her screaming amid the wreckage. She joined JAT, the national flag carrier and dominant airline of Yugoslavia, in 1971. "I thought, 'Why shouldn't I be an air hostess? "[3], Flight 367 departed from Stockholm Arlanda Airport at 1:30p.m. on 26 January. Legal Statement. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "[4][16], In 2009, Peter Hornung-Andersen and Pavel Theiner, two Prague-based journalists, claimed that Flight 367 had been mistaken for an enemy aircraft and shot down by the Czechoslovak Air Force at an altitude of 800 metres (2,600ft), far lower than the official altitude of 10,160 metres (33,330ft). Guinness World Records Kids (opens in a new window), GWR Merchandise Store (opens in a new window), Corporate Social Responsibility activities & fundraising ideas, Community engagement & tourism marketing activities. However, her dream almost didnt come true. Vesna passed away at 66 in 2016 (Source: guinnessworldrecords.com) Fifty years ago, a 23-year-old woman fell 33,333 feet from the sky and survived, making it to the Guinness World Record (GWR) for 'Highest fall survived without parachute'. YouTubeVesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. YouTubeA young Vesna Vulovi in her flight attendant uniform. Vesna Vulovic: The Woman who Plummeted from 33,000 Feet and Survived Blic, a Serbian daily newspaper, said that locksmiths discovered her body in her apartment after forcing open the door. [19] Vulovi continued taking part in anti-government demonstrations throughout the 1990s. [26] She was buried in Belgrade's New Cemetery on 27 December.[27]. Serbia's Most Famous Survivor Fears That Recent History Will Repeat DR ELLIE CANNON: My breast has not got lumps but it's itchy, should I be concerned about cancer at age 72? She was the sole survivor after an explosion tore through the baggage compartment of JAT Flight 367 on 26 January 1972, causing it to crash near Srbsk Kamenice, Czechoslovakia. The cause of death was not immediately known. The cause of death is not yet known. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. She now holds the Guinness world record for highest freefall without a parachute. [25], In December 2016, Vulovi's friends became concerned for her well-being after she abruptly stopped answering telephone calls. Vesna Vulovic is pictured recovering in hospital after surviving a plunge from 33,000 feet after her plane exploded in mid-air, Vesna Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade, according to Serbian state TV. Though no arrests were ever made, Yugoslav authorities suspected that a Croatian ultranationalist terrorist group, the Ustashe, were behind both bombings. "I was found with my head down and my colleague on top of me. "But if nationalist forces in this country prevail, my heart will burst.". You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time by visiting our unsubscribe page and providing your email address. The aircraft broke apart in mid-air before falling 33,330 feet down to the ground in Srbsk Kamenice, Czechoslovakia. She had no memory of the incident and had no qualms about flying in the aftermath of the crash. She remained an avid flyer and died in 2016 at the age of 66. "I am like a cat, I have had nine lives," she told the New York Times. Trapped in the planes tail, Vulovi plummeted to earth in sub-zero temperatures and landed on a steep, heavily wooded slope near a village. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. El avin sufri una explosin en su parte delantera que provoc que se partiese en dos y se precipitase desde una altura de 10.000 metros sobre una ladera nevada de Kamenice, en la actual . However, in 2009 two investigative journalists in Prague claimed the plane had probably been mistaken for an enemy aircraft and shot down by the Czechoslovakian air force, causing it to fall and break up at a much lower height than previously believed. The fuselage tumbled through pine branches and into a thick coating of snow, softening the impact and cushioning its descent down the hill, crash investigators said at the time. Life After Death - Vesna Vulovic: Survivor's Guilt (Part Two) "The man who found me told me that I was in the middle part of the plane," she said. [7] Vulovi said that she was aware of her low blood pressure before applying to become a flight attendant and knew that it would result in her failing her medical examination, but she drank an excessive amount of coffee beforehand and was accepted. In 2008, Ms. Vulovic campaigned for the Democratic Party of President Boris Tadic. BELGRADE, Serbia -- Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian stewardess who miraculously survived a plunge from 33,000 feet after her plane exploded in mid-air in 1972, has died. The cause of death was not known. 'I felt different to the rest of my family - and my mum felt the same': Prince Harry opens up on his 'broken home' upbringing saying parents rowing in front of children 'is not a good idea' - but FAILS to mention William once in 90min toxic trauma chat, Maryland mayor arrested on 56 child pornography charges called Pete Buttigieg his 'buddy' and 'mentor' for helping him navigate politics as a gay man - and visited the White House at least six times, 'What does this mean!?' Vesna Vulovic, a flight attendant for JAT Yugoslav Airlines in 1972, set a Guinness world record when she fell some 33,000 feet and lived.Vulovic's odds-defying plunge, which happened following an explosion of the DC-9 she was flying in, is one of the most remarkable accident-survival stories of all time, and made her a national hero in Yugoslavia. Having never been to Denmark, Vulovi considered it yet another opportunity to travel. [4] Vulovi was the only survivor of the 28 passengers and crew. [1][2] Her father was a businessman and her mother was a fitness instructor. In addition to her extensive bodily injuries and her fractured skull, her brain had also hemorrhaged and she had total amnesia. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? How Vesna Vulovi survived the highest fall ever with no parachute Vesna Vulovic, Serbian flight attendant who survived 1972 crash, dies Vesna Vulovic, stewardess who survived 30,000ft fall, dies https://t.co/JbHMTGdeuM. Folk Figure. Vesna Vulovi was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade, Serbian state television reported. Serbias state TV said Saturday that Ms. Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, landed at Copenhagen Airport at 2:30p.m., whereupon Vulovi and her colleagues boarded the plane. A brother appears to have been her only survivor. Anyone can read what you share. Vulovi? In Belgrade, Vulovi's hospital room was placed under 24-hour police protection because authorities feared that the perpetrators of the bombing would wish to kill her. Vesna Vulovi (Serbian Cyrillic: , pronounced[sna loit]; 3 January 1950 23 December 2016) was a Serbian flight attendant who holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160m (33,330ft; 6.31mi). She was the sole survivor after an explosion tore through the baggage compartment of JAT Flight 367 on 26 January 1972, causing it to crash near Srbsk Kamenice, Czechoslovakia. [4] "Whenever I think of the accident, I have a prevailing, grave feeling of guilt for surviving it and I cry Then I think maybe I should not have survived at all. Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian air stewardess who miraculously survived a plunge from 33,000ft after her plane exploded in mid-air in 1972, has died aged 66. So right before heading in, she drank several cups of coffee, hoping it would keep her blood pressure high enough. "[3], Flight 367 departed from Copenhagen Airport at 3:15p.m. At 4:01p.m., an explosion tore through the DC-9's baggage compartment. The best indicator is the annual horoscope. Serbian survivor of fall from plane explosion dies at 66 Vulovic was found dead in her Begrade apartment, The Washington Post and BBC report, citing Serbias state TV. Vesna Vulovic, an air stewardess who survived the highest ever fall by a human being after her plane broke up at 33,000ft (10,000m), has died aged 66. YouTube Vesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. Air stewardess who miraculously survived record-breaking 33 - mirror 14+ Legendary Vesna Vulovic Facts You Will Enjoy - Interesting Facts World Astrology in Serbia The Associated Press contributed to this report. The cause of death was not immediately known. How Far Did She Fall? The Amazing Story of Vesna Vulovi One man seemed terribly annoyed. One part of my body with my leg was in the plane and my head was out of the plane. As fate would have it, Vesna was not actually scheduled to be working on Flight 367, as she revealed in a 2002 interview with Green Light. It was there that I met up with a friend who suggested we go to Stockholm. First was Copenhagen in Denmark, which is where the secondary cabin crew - including Vesna - boarded the plane. She told the AP in an interview in 2008 that she could only recall greeting passengers before takeoff from the airport in Denmark - and then waking up in the hospital with her mother at her side. or redistributed. The spectacular survival story won Vulovic celebrity status in Serbia, where she channelled her fame into campaigning for political causes. Vulovi's parents told her that she first learned of the crash about two weeks after it occurred. Initially paralyzed from the waist down, Vulovic eventually made a near-full recovery and even returned to work for the airline in a desk job. It is certain that the other passengers and crewmembers had similar horoscopes, as well. [4] By the time she had reached her sixties, Vulovi's deteriorating health prevented her from taking part in annual commemorations at Srbsk Kamenice, which she had previously attended for many years. Although she passed away in December 2016 at the age of 66, Vesna Vulovi will live on forever as an anti-nationalist heroine. She was. [3] In 1985, The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Vulovi as the world record holder for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160 metres (33,330ft; 6.31mi). Trapped in the planes tail cone, she plummeted to earth in sub-freezing temperatures and landed on a steep, heavily wooded slope near a village. Serbia's state TV said today Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. Vesna Vulovi (Abjad Kiril Serbia: ; diucapkan [esna ulit]; 3 Januari 1950 - 23 Desember 2016) adalah seorang pramugari asal Serbia.Ia memecahkan rekor dunia Guinness karena berhasil selamat dari terjun tanpa parasut dengan ketinggian 10.160 meter. The flight path, between Stockholm in Sweden and Belgrade in Serbia, took the aircraft over Czechoslovakia - now the Czech Republic - and that is where the plane exploded into three pieces. Although Vesna survived, she sustained extremely serious injuries and spent the following days in a coma. Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian woman who in 1972 survived a reported six-mile fall after the plane she was on exploded over Czechoslovakia, died last week at age 66, according to several media reports. It was suspected that a bomb was planted inside the jet during a stopover in Copenhagen, Denmark, but nothing was ever proven and no arrests were made. About 18 years after she returned to work, she said, the airline forced her to retire for trying to persuade co-workers not to vote for Slobodan Milosevic, the Serbian nationalist and president known as the Butcher of the Balkans. She demonstrated in the streets against Mr. Milosevic, who died in jail before a verdict was reached in his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. She never regained any memory of the accident or of her rescue, she said, and she continued to fly as a passenger. Serbia's state TV said Saturday Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (The Associated Press). Ne propustite. Air safety investigators believe that Vulovis position within the aircraft at the time of the explosion helped her survive the fall. [3][d] She attributed the divorce to her chain smoking, which her husband disapproved of. [8] Yugoslav authorities suspected that they were to blame for bringing down Flight 367. At 4:01 PM, there was an explosion in the baggage compartment. Foi a nica a sobreviver, depois que uma bomba explodiu no compartimento de bagagem do voo JAT 367 em 26 de janeiro de 1972, causando um acidente prximo a Srbsk Kamenice, na Checoslovquia. A catering trolley was pinned against my spine and kept me in the plane.". On the basis of her conversations with Honke, Vulovi disputed the assertion that she was discovered in the rear section of the DC-9, as claimed in some reports. The accident ruined their lives too., First published on December 24, 2016 / 7:59 AM. The fuselage separated from the rest of the plane and hurtled towards the ground in a heavily wooded area near the Czechoslovak village of Srbsk Kamenice. Show more Show. Vulovic entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1985 for the highest fall survived without a parachute.. [3], The secondary crew of JAT Flight 367, flying from Stockholm to Belgrade with stopovers in Copenhagen and Zagreb, arrived in Denmark on the morning of 25 January 1972. She had no memory of the crash or of anything from the following month. online interview with Green Light Limited. Vesna Vulovic: The Flight Attendant Who Fell 6 Miles And Lived Vulovi became a celebrity in Yugoslavia and was deemed a national hero. . landed on a snowy, tree-covered hillside, claiming that documents showed the aircraft may have been mistakenly shot down. Vesnas miraculous survival was attributed to her being pinned down by a food cart in the tail end of the fuselage (the aircrafts main body). "People always want to sit next to me on the plane," she said. Ms. Vulovic, who had been divorced, was living on a small pension, with three cats, at her death. She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. All of the other 27 passengers and crew on board died. 33,000-Ft Fall! Meet The Flight Attendant Who Pulled-Off The Biggest She was 66. In response to the attack, airport security measures were tightened in the country. [17] After the crash, Vulovi received a decoration from Yugoslav President Josip Tito, and the Serbian folk singer Miroslav Ili recorded a song titled "Vesna stjuardesa" ("Vesna the Stewardess"). The cause of death was not immediately known. Speaking of . Vesna Vulovic has similar horoscope. [3], Between 1962 and 1982, Croatian nationalists carried out 128 terrorist attacks against Yugoslav civilian and military targets. With a history of low blood pressure, Vulovi knew it was unlikely shed pass the medical exam. Flight Attendant Who Survived 33,000-Foot Fall - NBC10 Philadelphia Oh yeah, except for the fact that she fell 33,000 fucking feet and lived to tell the tale. Mind-bending optical illusion that makes your brain IMAGINE a color that doesn't exist leaves the internet baffled, Kellyanne Conway's soon-to-be ex-husband George looks despondent without his wedding ring after couple announced they are divorcing, New heartbreak for Liz Hurley, 57, as third former partner dies: Actor Tom Sizemore, 61, suffers fatal brain aneurysm a year after her ex-fiance Shane Warne's death from a heart attack at 52 - while father to her son Damian lost his life to suicide in 2020, All 28 aboard died apart from Vulovic, who would break record for highest fall. Honke, the man who found Vulovi alive after the crash, had a granddaughter born six weeks after her fall; she was named Vesna in Vulovi's honour. The first thing she did upon waking was ask for a cigarette. Vesna Vulovic in hospital in Prague following the crash. On the 26th of January 1972, Vesna Vulovi was a flight attendant onboard JAT Yugoslav Airlines Flight 367. Despite her willingness to resume work as a flight attendant, Jat Airways (JAT) gave her a desk job negotiating freight contracts, feeling her presence on flights would attract too much publicity. The cause of death was not immediately known. [3] Vulovi's hospitalization lasted until June 1972, after which she travelled to Montenegro to recuperate at a seaside resort, where her doctors visited her every two or three days. A bomb, which may . She had been working for the airline for only eight months when the accident occurred. 7 People Who Cheated Death (Then Kicked It In The Balls) She was rushed to a hospital, where she fell into a coma for 10 days. 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He fell 18,000 feet (5500 m) to the ground below. She suffered a fractured skull, three broken vertebrae, broken legs, broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis. Flight attendant Vesna Vulovi set record for highest fall survived without a parachute, said to be 10,000 metres. Amid the wreckage was a woman wearing a bloodstained turquoise flight attendants uniform and no shoes. She was trapped in the cone of the tail and landed on a slope after plunging 10,160m from the DC-9 aircraft. Filip Horvat for The International Herald Tribune. It was not only me that noticed him either. "[21] Vulovi declined therapy to help cope with her experiences and instead turned to religion, becoming a devout Orthodox Christian. They didnt want me because they didnt want so much publicity about the accident, she told Green Light. Initially paralysed from the waist down, Vulovi eventually made almost a full recovery and even returned to work for the airline in a desk job. FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedInSnapchatPinterestTiktok, Registered Office: Ground Floor, The Rookery, 2 Dyott Street, London, WC1A 1DE, United Kingdom, Otto - Longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog, Ashrita Furman - Most Guinness World Records titles held. She fainted upon being shown a newspaper headline by her doctor and had to be tranquilized. Sole crash survivors: Children and crew stand out. The first of his numerous near-death experiences began on a cold January day in 1962, when Selak was on a train to Dubrovnik: it suddenly derailed into an icy river, killing 17 passengers. The wreckage of the JAT Flight 367 crash. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and she had broken her pelvis, several ribs and both legs. She was thus officially acknowledged as having surpassed the records of other fall survivors, such as Alan Magee, Juliane Koepcke, Nicholas Alkemade, and Ivan Chisov. She suffered a skull fracture and broke her legs. State TV in Vulovic's home country of Serbia said she was found dead in her apartment in Belgrade. Following the bombing, Vulovi spent days in a coma and was hospitalised for several months. "I am like a cat, I have had nine lives," she told the New York Times. As for people who have described her as lucky, Vulovic said they are mistaken. I was talking to them and asking them why they were with me in Slovenia. In Yugoslavia she was celebrated as a national hero. [3][16] She only occasionally granted interviews and declined numerous requests, most notably from Oprah Winfrey and the BBC,[24] saying that she was "tired" of discussing her fall. She avoided arrest because the government was concerned about the negative publicity that her imprisonment would bring. She remembered greeting passengers for the flight, and then nothing until she saw her parents in her hospital room. The fuselage tumbled through pine branches and into a thick coating of snow, softening the impact and cushioning its descent down the hill, crash investigators said at the time. Vesna Vulovi recovering in the hospital. On This Day in 1918: The tallest man ever is born, Prizes dont come any bigger: World's tallest man Sultan Kosen visits British school after competition win, Canadian confirmed as tallest teenager in the world, How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. The small section she was in fell to the ground on a heavily wooded, snow-covered hillside. 1 reference. Although we always love to see records being broken, this one is an exception and we hope no one ever experiences a fall like Vesna's again. It is extremely probable that the aircraft was shot down by mistake by the Czechoslovak air force and in order to cover it up the secret police conceived the record plunge, Hornung said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Find a Grave memorial ID. But it was no easy feat. Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian stewardess who miraculously survived a plunge from 33,000 feet after her plane exploded in mid-air in 1972, died last week. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. Katie Serena is a New York City-based writer and a staff writer at All That's Interesting. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? She had no memory of the flight or her descent. Upon returning to Belgrade, Vulovi decided to become a flight attendant after seeing one of her friends in a flight attendant's uniform. Vulovi was fired from JAT in the early 1990s after taking part in anti-government protests during the breakup of Yugoslavia, but avoided arrest as the government was concerned about the negative publicity that her imprisonment would bring.