Vesna Vulović: The Remarkable Survival on January 26, 1972

On January 26, 1972, Vesna Vulović, a Yugoslavian flight attendant, survived a fall from an astonishing height of 10,160 meters (33,330 feet) after the plane she was aboard exploded. This incredible survival set a world record for the highest fall without a parachute.

Background

Vesna Vulović was working as a flight attendant for JAT Yugoslav Airlines. On that fateful day, she was on board Flight 367, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft, which was en route from Stockholm to Belgrade with stopovers in Copenhagen and Zagreb.

The Incident

• Explosion: The aircraft exploded over Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) due to a suspected bomb placed in the luggage compartment. The explosion occurred at cruising altitude, causing the plane to break apart.
• Fall: Vesna Vulović was trapped in the fuselage of the aircraft as it plummeted to the ground. Remarkably, she survived the fall, which is attributed to being pinned by a food cart in the plane’s tail section, which landed on a snowy, forested hillside, potentially softening the impact.

Survival and Recovery

• Injuries: Vulović sustained serious injuries, including a fractured skull, two broken legs, and three broken vertebrae, which left her temporarily paralyzed from the waist down.
• Recovery: Despite the severity of her injuries, Vesna Vulović made a miraculous recovery. She regained the ability to walk after months of rehabilitation.

Aftermath and Recognition

• World Record: Vesna Vulović was recognized by the Guinness World Records for surviving the highest fall without a parachute.
• Legacy: Her survival story became legendary, symbolizing human resilience and the will to survive against all odds. Vesna continued to work for JAT in a desk job and became a national hero in Yugoslavia.

Broader Significance

The incident highlighted issues of airline security during the Cold War era, as the bombing was suspected to be an act of terrorism, although the perpetrators were never conclusively identified. Vesna Vulović’s story remains a testament to the extraordinary nature of human survival and resilience.

Vesna Vulović passed away in 2016, but her story continues to inspire and astonish people around the world.