A fascinating simulation sheds light on the extraordinary tale of Vesna Vulovic, a flight attendant who unwittingly set a world record by surviving the highest fall ever recorded following a plane disaster.
Vesna achieved this record on January 26, 1972, while serving as a crew member on a Yugoslav Airlines flight traveling from Sweden to Serbia.
During the flight, the aircraft passed over what is now the Czech Republic, where it unexpectedly blew apart into three sections.
While there was speculation that a bomb had been placed on the plane during a stopover in Denmark, the BBC notes that this theory was never confirmed.
Regardless of the cause, the explosion resulted in the loss of 27 lives among passengers and crew, with Vesna being the sole survivor.
As the aircraft descended, Vesna was trapped by a food cart in its tail section.
The tail, where Vesna was located, landed in a densely wooded, snow-covered mountain region, likely softening the impact from 33,333 feet.
Her cries during and after the crash were heard by a woodsman named Bruno Honke, who managed to rescue her from the debris.
Vesna has no recollection of the crash or her rescue, but a simulation by YouTuber Zack D. Films provides a glimpse into the seconds before the crash.
This incredible account has left many viewers in awe, with one commenting: “The fact she made a full recovery after severe injuries is amazing. Everyone that died may rest in peace.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMukDDgUQSI
Following her rescue, Vesna was taken to a hospital, where she remained in a coma for 10 days, having suffered a fractured skull, crushed vertebrae, and several broken bones.
Although Vesna was initially paralyzed, she gradually regained her mobility and earned a Guinness World Record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute.
In a 2008 interview with The New York Times, she remarked: “I was broken, and the doctors put me back together again. Nobody ever expected me to live this long.”
Despite not returning to her cabin crew role, Vesna continued to fly as a passenger, often finding others eager to sit beside her.
In 2016, Vesna passed away at the age of 66.