Based on secret documents mainly from the Czech civil aviation authority, unearthed after more than a year of research, Peter Hornung and Pavel Theiner said they did not believe the aircraft had been blown up by Croatian nationalists as the Yugoslav government, backed by Czechoslovakian authorities, claimed. Upon returning to Belgrade, Vulovi decided to become a flight attendant after seeing one of her friends in a flight attendant's uniform. Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian flight attendant who holds the world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute when her plane broke apart. [4] "I don't know what to say when people say I was lucky," she remarked. 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. She eventually made a full recovery but never regained memory of the incident, as she explained in a 2002 interview with Green Light Limited. 31M subscribers in the todayilearned community. Three vertebrae were broken, and she was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down and in a coma for a time. The cause of death was not immediately known. She was trapped in the cone of the tail and landed on a slope after plunging 10,160m from the DC-9 aircraft. While Vulovi had been hoping to go sightseeing, the rest of the group seemed focused on shopping and sitting in the hotel. Her name was Vesna Vulovi and she was a flight attendant on JAT Yugoslave Airlines Flight 367, en route from Stockholm to Belgrade on the 26th of January in 1972. December 24, 2016, 2:49 AM BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Vesna Vulovic, a Serbian stewardess who miraculously survived a plunge from 10,000 meters (33,000 feet) after her plane exploded in mid-air in. Vulovic holds the Guinness World Record for highest fall without a parachute a miraculous 33,333-foot plunge to Earth. Legal Statement. Vesna Vulovic, was a flight attendant on Yugoslav Airlines DC-9 enroute from Stockholm to Belgrade. Additionally, Vesnas physicians determined that her low blood pressure caused her to quickly pass out when the cabin depressurized, which prevented her heart from bursting upon impact. Then, read about Charles Joughin, the baker on the Titanic who survived the frigid waters that night through interesting means. YouTubeA young Vesna Vulovi in her flight attendant uniform. [22] Hornung-Andersen conceded that the pair's evidence was only circumstantial. 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. State TV in Vulovic's home country of Serbia said she was found dead in her apartment in Belgrade. They didnt want me because they didnt want so much publicity about the accident, she told Green Light. The captain, Vulovi would later recall, spent 24 hours locked in his room, refusing to go out at all. The Guinness Book of World Records says the plunge was from a height of 33,000 feet, the longest recorded fall without a parachute. She fainted upon being shown a newspaper headline by her doctor and had to be tranquilized. (The Associated Press) She beat the odds by surviving a 10,000-metre (33,000 feet) fall from a plane, and became a national hero in Serbia because of it. Legal Statement. Vesna Vulovic was a stewardess back in the '70s working on a Serbian airline. Ms. Vulovic, who had been divorced, was living on a small pension, with three cats, at her death. Ms. Vulovic was working as a Yugoslav Airlines flight attendant on Jan. 26, 1972, when the Douglas DC-9 airliner she was aboard blew up high above the snowy mountain ranges of Czechoslovakia. Vesna Vulovic, an ex-air stewardess who survived a 10 kilometre fall to Earth, is seen in a 2008 file photo. As her death-defying tale continues to fascinate people around the world, she will also live on as a symbol of survival against all odds. It was suspected that a bomb was planted inside the jet during a scheduled stopover in Copenhagen, Denmark, but no arrests were ever made. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. The guards changed shifts every six hours, and no one was allowed in to see her except for her parents and doctors. Serbia's state TV said Saturday Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. He fell 18,000 feet (5500 m) to the ground below. Serbian-born Vesna Vulovi was 22 years old and had been a flight attendant for only eight months before the fateful crash. Vulovi's parents told her that she first learned of the crash about two weeks after it occurred. 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. "But if nationalist forces in this country prevail, my heart will burst. English Wikipedia. "[21] Vulovi lamented that her mother and father might not have died prematurely had she not been aboard Flight 367, stating that the incident not only ruined her life, but also those of her parents. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ms. Vulovic was working as a Yugoslav Airlines flight attendant on Jan. 26, 1972, when the DC-9 airliner she was aboard blew up high above the snowy . Everyone except Vesna, who survived a fall of 33,333 feet (10,160 metres; 6.31 miles). [4][16], In September 1972, Vulovi expressed willingness to resume working as a flight attendant. [4] Vulovi attributed her recovery to her "Serbian stubbornness" and "a childhood diet that included chocolate, spinach, and fish oil". She said 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. She was 66. The cause of death was not immediately known. The cause of her death was not immediately known. retrieved. [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. A verification email has been sent to you. A bomb, which may . Vulovic entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1985 for "the highest fall survived without a parachute.". The cause of death was not immediately known. It was suspected that a bomb was planted inside the jet during a scheduled stopover in Copenhagen, Denmark, but no arrests were ever made. [19] Around the same time,[e] Vulovi was fired from JAT for speaking out against Serbian statesman Slobodan Miloevi and taking part in anti-government protests. Vulovi was rescued by a woodsman who followed her screams in the dark forest. Her turquoise uniform was covered in blood and her stiletto heels had been torn off by the force of the impact. The wreckage of the JAT Flight 367 crash. In 1971 she joined JAT Airways, Yugoslavias national flag carrier and the countrys largest airline. She had been working for the airline for only eight months when the accident occurred. 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. A catering trolley was pinned against my spine and kept me in the plane.". All 28 passengers and crew aboard perished, apart fromVulovic, who would enter the Guinness Book of Records for 'the highest fall survived without a parachute'. Part of HuffPost Women. 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. You learn something new every day; what did you learn today? Vesna Vulovi was a Serbian flight attendant who holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160 m . On the 26th of January 1972, Vesna Vulovi was a flight attendant onboard JAT Yugoslav Airlines Flight 367. [1] Her reputation as a "Cold War heroine" also extended to the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. Serbia's state TV said Saturday Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. [18] Although she was advised by physicians that her injuries would not have an adverse effect on her reproductive function, Vulovi experienced an ectopic pregnancy that nearly proved fatal and was never able to have children. It is certain that the other passengers and crewmembers had similar horoscopes, as well. She had no memory of the incident and had no qualms about flying in the aftermath of the crash. In her home country of Yugoslavia, Vesna Vulovi became a national icon, honoured by the President of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito. Her Plane Exploded 33,000 Feet In The Air And Somehow Vesna Vulovi Survived The Fall. According to the official accident report, an explosion tore the DC-9 she was working . The cause of death was not immediately known. 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. I was talking to them and asking them why they were with me in Slovenia. "People always want to sit next to me on the plane," she said. The stewardess was temporarily paralysed from the waist down by the fall but in time she made a near-full recovery and returned to work for the airline in a desk job. ", "Too good to be true? ", China looks at reforms to deepen Xi's control, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. 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. Vesna Vulovi in 1972. [1][a] Vulovi's physicians concluded that her history of low blood pressure caused her to pass out quickly after the cabin depressurized and kept her heart from bursting on impact. Vulovi wished to go sightseeing but her colleagues insisted that they go shopping. Vesna Vulovic, stewardess who survived 30,000ft fall, dies https://t.co/JbHMTGdeuM. All rights reserved. All 27 other passengers and crew aboard perished. The comments below have not been moderated. "Life is so hard today. [20] They also hypothesized that the call received by Kvllsposten, claiming responsibility for the aircraft's downing, was a hoax. 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. 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 . A brother appears to have been her only survivor. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Both of her legs had been broken along with three vertebrae, multiple ribs and a fractured pelvis. [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. Credit: Alamy. Back in 1972, the former stewardess survived a 10,160-meter fall from a plane that exploded midair. She was in the rear of the plane with a food cart when the fuselage broke apart. [4] In total, she spent sixteen months recuperating. Because his parachute was destroyed by the fire, Alkemade opted to jump from the aircraft without one, preferring his death to be quick, rather than being burnt to death. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and a broken pelvis, ribs and legs. The world's highest stuff: notes, basketball shots, backflips and more! She was offered a hypnotic injection to help her sleep during the flight back to Yugoslavia, but declined, explaining that she was not afraid of flying because she had no memory of the crash. Juliane Koepcke, who survived an extreme fall and then an 11-day trek through the jungle. The theory has also been dismissed by the Civilian Aviation Authority and Czech army experts. Im not lucky, she told Green Light. State TV in Vulovic's home country of. / CBS/AP. Sole crash survivors: Children and crew stand out. [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). 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Investigators believed that the fuselage, with Vulovi pinned inside, landed at an angle in a heavily wooded and snow-covered mountainside, which cushioned the impact. I thought I was in Slovenia, as I had just visited Ljubljana the capital city before going to Copenhagen., In less than a year, she recovered well enough to walk, but with a limp. After traveling to London to learn English, she realized her love of traveling. Following the bombing, Vulovi spent days in a coma and was hospitalised for several months. She continued her work as a pro-democracy activist until the Socialist Party of Serbia was ousted from power during the Bulldozer Revolution of October 2000. Initially paralyzed from the waist down, Ms. Vulovic eventually made a near-full recovery and even returned to work for the airline in a desk job. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. An air stewardess who miraculously survived a plunge from 33,000 feet after her plane exploded in mid-air has died at the age of 66. The cause of death was not immediately known. Vesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. Amazingly, Vesna was able to walk again after ten months, albeit with a permanent limp due to the twisting of her spine. 1 Vesna Vulovic: The Stewardess Who Survived a terrorist attack at 33,000 feet. The Douglas DC-9 went down on January 26 that year over the mountains . [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. The cause of death was not immediately known. [19] In 1977,[c] she married mechanical engineer Nikola Breka after a year of dating. Serbia's state TV said Saturday that Ms. Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. [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. She suffered a fractured skull, two broken legs, three broken vertebrae, a fractured pelvis, several broken ribs and temporary paralysis below the waist. She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. The fuselage tumbled through pine branches and into a thick coating of snow, softening the impact and cushioning its descent down the hill. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and a broken pelvis, ribs and legs. fell approximately 10,160 meters. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. We'll use the information you provide us to contact you via email about our relevant content, products and services. State TV in Vulovic's home country of. YouTube Vesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. Vesna Vulovic has similar horoscope. Show more Show. 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. Trapped in the plane's tail cone, she plummeted to earth in sub-freezing temperatures and landed on a steep, heavily wooded slope near a village. [10] The Czech Civil Aviation Authority dismissed the journalists' claim, calling it a conspiracy theory. She remained an avid flyer and died in 2016 at the age of 66. Of the 28 passengers and crew, Vesna Vulovi was the only survivor. She was 66. "I initially stayed with my parents' friends in Newbury," she recalled, "but wanted to move to London. [3][4] Nevertheless, Vulovi said that she was excited to travel to Denmark because it was her first time visiting the country. [1][2] Her father was a businessman and her mother was a fitness instructor. 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. Ia jatuh dari pesawat setelah terjadinya sebuah ledakan di kompartemen bagasi JAT Penerbangan 367 . 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. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and she had broken her pelvis, several ribs and both legs. . Anyone can read what you share. [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"). [1] She was soon made an honorary citizen of Srbsk Kamenice. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. She stated that her ordeal had turned her into an optimist. YouTubeThe wreckage of the JAT Flight 367 crash. Vesna's physicians later determined that . If I were lucky I would never had this accident and my mother and father would be alive. The first thing I remember is seeing my parents in the hospital, she said in 2002 in an online interview with Green Light Limited, a security training firm. At 4:01 p.m., 46 minutes after take off, an explosion in the luggage compartment tore the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft into three pieces. At first, she could only move her left leg, and one month thereafter, she was able to move her right. [9] A man, describing himself as a Croatian nationalist, called the Swedish newspaper Kvllsposten the following day and claimed responsibility for the bombing of Flight 367. The accident ruined their lives, too. "[21] Vulovi declined therapy to help cope with her experiences and instead turned to religion, becoming a devout Orthodox Christian. Her name was Vesna Vulovi and though even she didnt know it yet, she had just survived an epic fall of 33,330 feet in what is one of the strangest world records: surviving the highest fall without a parachute. Although Vesna survived, she sustained extremely serious injuries and spent the following days in a coma. "I am like a cat, I have had nine lives," she told the New York Times. After recovering from her injuries, Vesna continued working for JAT Airlines in a desk-based role, but she was fired in the early 1990s for participating in anti-government protests opposing Slobodan Miloevi, president of Serbia within Yugoslavia at the time.