Falling into the ocean

[Beswad]

Movies always portrays that if you jump from a bridge or fall from a plane into the sea you won't survive. Is it true?

[jake-the-peg]

Terminal velocity (the maximum speed of a falling object) for a human being is between about 120 and 180  Mph (depending on your shape in the air).

If you hit a body of water at over 100 mph I'd be very surprised if you lived. Even if you did, chances are you'd be knocked unconcious and drown.

Having said that the record is 177ft

http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/entertainment/haltonshow/tm_objectid=15523624&method=full&siteid=50020&headline=oliver-s-water-show-name_page.html

[MargeB]

Didn't some airline hostess survive a fall from a jet at 30K ft, sans parachute?

[jake-the-peg]

She was actually in the plane

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/index.asp?id=43941

Not quite the same but impressively fortunate all the same

[MargeB]

TY Jake.

lol: "Strangely, the first words she uttered, "Can I have a cigarette," were in English!"

Not sure how she survived...must have been some freaky impact dispersal.

[Peter Pedant]

When a helicopter door opened in flight and I freaked out, I was told I wouldnt have lived if I had fallen out as well as freaked out.....

 

PP

[bernardo]

It depends on the height and the position/shape of the person falling.  If a person is diving carefully into the water, a higher drop could be achieved with less injury.

In films, whether they survive the impact or not depends mostly on whether they are a goody or a baddy.

[stevie21]

So if you were falling into water from a height, it might help if you were somehow able to throw something into the water to break the surface tension?

I must remember this : I'm sure it'll come in useful!

[Ralph]

I thought they sprayed water at the surface to "roughen it up" so the divers can see where it is? Maybe I'm wrong.

[Loosehead]

Another way to avoid death is to be carrying a box of cholcolates, older Aber's will know what I'm talking about! "And all because, the lady loves......."

[brachiopod]

But how do I keep my 'Calling Card' dry, loosehead, let alone the damn choccies !!

[the.dr]

think of it like this the entire weight of the ocean is hitting your body!? turn it around and imagine you had to had the equivilent dropped on you......splatt! my tip wud be to point those toes and block your nose and PRAY!