A German aerospace engineer, Rudiger Koch, has set an incredible world record by living underwater for 120 days without coming up for fresh air. He recently emerged from his submerged capsule off the coast of Panama, surrounded by an audience including a Guinness World Records official, Susana Reyes.
Rudiger, who is 59 years old, broke the previous record held by an American named Joseph Dituri, who spent 100 days in an underwater lodge in Florida.
After completing his challenge, Koch expressed mixed feelings. “It was a great adventure, but now that it’s over, I feel a bit of regret,” he shared. He spoke fondly about the beauty of the ocean, especially when it turns dark and glows at night. “It’s hard to describe. You have to experience it,” he added.
To celebrate his achievement, Koch enjoyed some champagne, smoked a cigar, and took a leap into the Caribbean Sea, from where a boat whisked him away to a party on land.
His underwater home was equipped for comfortable living. Inside his 30 sq meter capsule, he had a bed, a toilet, a TV, a computer, and even the internet. He kept fit with an exercise bike too. The capsule was a short boat ride from the shore and connected to a floating chamber above water by a spiral staircase, which also allowed for food deliveries and visits from a doctor.
Koch relied on solar panels for power, with a backup generator available but no shower facilities. Halfway through his underwater stay, he mentioned to a journalist that he hoped to change perceptions about human habitation. “I want to prove that the oceans can be a viable place for us to live,” he said.
Four cameras recorded his daily activities, ensuring that he stayed below the surface for the entire duration. Reyes noted, “We needed constant oversight for over 120 days to confirm that he never surfaced.” She described his record-breaking feat as one of the most extravagant ever and highlighted the significant effort that went into it.
Interestingly, Koch is a fan of Jules Verne’s classic, *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,* and kept a copy on his bedside table while living beneath the waves.
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