The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, landed at Copenhagen Airport at 2:30p.m., whereupon Vulovi and her colleagues boarded the plane. She had no memory of the crash or of anything from the following month. More than three decades later, however, two investigative reporters in Prague challenged that conclusion, claiming that documents showed the aircraft may have been mistakenly shot down by the Czechoslovak air force at a far lower altitude of around 2,500 feet. With a history of low blood pressure, Vulovi knew it was unlikely shed pass the medical exam. In 1972, Vesna Vulovic, a flight attendant, fell 33,000 feet in an aircraft explosion and survived. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and a broken pelvis, ribs and legs. 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 . 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. Vulovi underwent treatment in a Prague hospital until 12 March 1972, after which she was flown to Belgrade. She was rushed to a hospital, where she fell into a coma for 10 days. [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][2] Her father was a businessman and her mother was a fitness instructor. Vesna Vulovic, a flight attendant who alone, and miraculously, survived the midair explosion of a jetliner over Czechoslovakia in 1972 after plummeting thousands of feet onto a snowy hill, was reported dead on Saturday in Belgrade. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Ms. Vulovics improbable story began on Jan. 26, 1972, in Copenhagen, where she was assigned to a Yugoslav Airlines crew for a flight to Belgrade. online interview with Green Light Limited. [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. / CBS/AP. Her turquoise uniform was covered in blood and her stiletto heels had been torn off by the force of the impact. [4] "I don't know what to say when people say I was lucky," she remarked. Vesna Vulovic, Serbian stewardess who survived 1972 crash, dies, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, West I-80 closed near Tahoe due to snow and 'multiple spinouts', Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Even Salesforces tower HQ isnt safe from office cuts, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Oakland ransomware attackers leak 'confidential' data, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Inside Harry and Meghans favorite In-N-Out, 14 things you need in your car before you drive to Tahoe, HOKA dropped a brand new version of their most popular shoe, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). 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. Ms. Vulovic in a picture released by the airline. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. [10] The Czech Civil Aviation Authority dismissed the journalists' claim, calling it a conspiracy theory. When the cabin depressurized, the passengers and other flight crew were blown out of the aircraft and fell to their deaths. They concluded that the DC-9 was mistakenly shot down by the Czechoslovak Air Force at an altitude of only 800 meters, or about 2,625 feet. Upon returning to Belgrade, Vulovi decided to become a flight attendant after seeing one of her friends in a flight attendant's uniform. 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. On the day of the crash, a bomb exploded aboard a train travelling from Vienna to Zagreb, injuring six. She had a fractured skull, two crushed vertebrae and she had broken her pelvis, several ribs and both legs. She never regained memory of the accident or her rescue. According to investigators, Vulovic was trapped by a food cart in the plane's tail section as it plummeted to earth in freezing temperatures. [3][d] She attributed the divorce to her chain smoking, which her husband disapproved of. He fell 18,000 feet (5500 m) to the ground below. She was fired from her job at the airline in 1990 after taking part in protests against President Slobodan Milosevic but avoided arrest. On the same day as the tragedy of Flight 367, another bomb was set off on a train between Vienna and Zagreb, injuring six people. Her final years were spent in seclusion, and she struggled with survivor guilt. Both boxes were analyzed by specialists from Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands, who confirmed that the plane had truly fallen from the stated height of 33,333 ft (10,160 m). Regardless of the scenario, Vulovic survived the ordeal, despite suffering a crushed skull, snapped legs and three broken vertebrae. Serbian radio reported her death without giving a cause. The same type of aircraft that Vesna Vulovi was on before her fall. What we know so far about the Chinese spy balloon and other objects shot down by U.S. Ozempic-like drug Wegovy coming to the U.K. at a fraction of U.S. price. English Wikipedia. . Vesna Vulovi (Yugoslavia, b. [5] The explosion caused the aircraft to break apart over the Czechoslovak village of SrbskKamenice. She was 66. She was 66. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. She was trapped in the cone of the tail and landed on a slope after plunging 10,160m from the DC-9 aircraft. 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. She was a Serbian flight attendant, who came hurtling down towards the earth from 33,000 feet above and still survived the deadly fall. At 1:30 PM on January 26, 1972, the crew met Flight 367 at the Copenhagen Airport and watched as the passengers and previous crew deplaned. Vesna Vulovic, Serbian stewardess who survived plane explosion & 10,000 meter . [4], Vulovi told reporters that she did not think of her fall every day, but admitted to struggling with survivor's guilt. Vesna was found screaming inside the wreckage by Bruno Honke, a local villager and former World War 2 medic who was able to administer vital first aid before rescuers arrived. State TV in Vulovic's home country of Serbia said she was found dead in her apartment in Belgrade. Serbia's state TV reports Saturday Dec. 24, 2016, Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade, aged 66. [3] She later campaigned on behalf of the Democratic Party and advocated for Serbia's entry into the European Union, which she believed would bring economic prosperity. The Guinness World Record holder for the "highest fall survived without a parachute," Vesna Vulovic, has been found dead in her apartment in Serbia. YouTubeVesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. Vulovic's record fall gained her celebrity status in her home country, A Yugoslav Airlines DC-9 identical to the one blown up in 1972, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Mbappe breaks PSG goal record in win over Nantes, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. Serbia's state TV said today Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. Autoridades iugoslavas suspeitaram que nacionalistas croatas fossem os culpados, mas ningum jamais foi preso. A neighbor said she had called Ms. Vulovics brother after Ms. Vulovic did not answer her phone calls. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The tail landed in a heavily wooded and snow-blanketed part of a mountainside, which was thought to have cushioned the impact. The Associated Press contributed to this report. [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. 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. Thu 20 May 2004 07.21 EDT. 2023 BBC. 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. The cause of death was not immediately known. In Yugoslavia she was celebrated as a national hero. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. After arriving in hospital, Vulovic fell into a coma for 10 days. Vulovi?, 22 years old at the time, was a flight attendant on board. Serbia's state TV said Saturday Vulovic was found dead by her friends in her apartment in Belgrade. The best indicator is the annual horoscope. '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!?' A Serbian woman who survived what was said to be a 10,000-metre (33,000ft) fall after a plane exploded in mid-air in 1972 has died aged 66. However, her cause of death is unknown at this time. Vesna Vulovi continued to fly until her death in 2016. She suffered a skull fracture and broke her legs. "Everybody wanted to buy something for his or her family," she recalled. As part of the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame ceremony in 1985, Paul McCartney presented Vesna with a certificate and medal for achieving the highest fall survived without a parachute. I was talking to them and asking them why they were with me in Slovenia. 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. "People always want to sit next to me on the plane," she said. A catering trolley was pinned against my spine and kept me in the plane.". She said in 2008 that she could only recall greeting passengers before takeoff from the airport in Denmark, and then waking up in hospital with her mother at her side. FILE-In this Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 file photo, Vesna Vulovic, an ex-air stewardess, and survivor of a fall from 10,000 meters when in 1972 her plane was blown up in mid-fight by a bomb, gestures as she gives an interview to the Associated Press in Belgrade, Serbia. What makes a Guinness World Records title? She recalled that she should not have been there; another flight attendant, also named Vesna, was supposed to be on the roster. 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. Flight attendant Vesna Vulovi set record for highest fall survived without a parachute, said to be 10,000 metres. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. [3] JAT felt that her presence on flights would attract too much publicity and instead gave her a desk job negotiating freight contracts. Fortunately, Bruno Honke, the villager who discovered her, had been a medic during World War II and was able to keep her alive until rescuers arrived. It was suspected that a bomb was planted inside the jet during a scheduled stopover in Copenhagen, Denmark, but no arrests were ever made. Filip Horvat for The International Herald Tribune. Although she passed away in December 2016 at the age of 66, Vesna Vulovi will live on forever as an anti-nationalist heroine. She joined JAT, the national flag carrier and dominant airline of Yugoslavia, in 1971. "I was found with my head down and my colleague on top of me. I was broken and the doctors put me back together again, she told The New York Times in 2008. Find a Grave. [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. When she found out a friend was becoming a flight attendant and traveling the world, she jumped at the chance. 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. While many other passengers were sucked out of the plane after the explosion, Vulovi became pinned by the cart. The spectacular survival story won Vulovic celebrity status in Serbia, where she channelled her fame into campaigning for political causes. Though she realized that JAT had confused her with another attendant named Vesna, she agreed to join anyway. Vesna Vulovic was a stewardess back in the '70s working on a Serbian airline. 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. Vesna Vulovic - stewardess who survived 33,000ft fall, dies TODAY I AM BRINGING YOU A NEW VIDEO -------------AND UPLOAD A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT AND INFORMATION. Vesna Vulovic has similar horoscope. In 1971 she joined JAT Airways, Yugoslavias national flag carrier and the countrys largest airline. In the morning, during breakfast, the co-pilot was talking about his son and daughter as if nobody else had a son or daughter. 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. Belgrade New Cemetery. [13][23] Vulovi said that she was aware of the journalists' claims, but stated that because she had no memory of the event, she could not confirm or deny the allegations. (File Photo) Verna Vulovic cheated death one fine day and lived to tell her horrific tale. She was 66. On 23 December, locksmiths discovered her body in her apartment after forcing open the door. Vesna Vulovic, a flight attendant who was the only one of 28 people to survive a jetliner blast over Czechoslovakia in 1972. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The small section she was in fell to the ground on a heavily wooded, snow-covered hillside. 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. If I were lucky, I would never had this accident, and my mother and father would be alive, she said. Vulovi was rescued by a woodsman who followed her screams in the dark forest. They didnt want me because they didnt want so much publicity about the accident, she told Green Light. All rights reserved. Credit: Alamy. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. 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. ", "Too good to be true? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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.