20 of the Most Incredible Survival Stories in History

Juliane Koepcke fell about 3,000 meters while still strapped into her seat after her plane broke apart in mid-air. Injured and alone, she trekked through the Peruvian Amazon for 11 days before finding help. Surviving that long in the Amazon is difficult enough on its own, but doing so with a concussion and a broken collarbone is even harder.

Vesna Vulović survived a fall of more than 10,000 meters after a plane crash in 1972, a record often cited as the highest fall without a parachute. She suffered severe injuries, underwent multiple surgeries, and had a long recovery, but was eventually able to walk again. She survived thanks to low blood pressure caused by her unconscious state, which prevented her heart from rupturing.

After his ship sank during World War II, Poon Lim found himself alone on a liferaft in the South Atlantic. He survived for 133 days by collecting rainwater and catching fish and seabirds after he had exhausted his supplies. Being rescued after more than four months adrift is incredible enough, but doing so alone makes the feat even more extraordinary.

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the Andes in October 1972, and 16 people survived after 72 grueling days in freezing conditions. They built a shelter from the plane’s wreckage, survived an avalanche, and, eventually, two survivors set out on a long trek to find help. This is undoubtedly one of the most extreme survival stories ever recorded.

Ada Blackjack joined an expedition to Wrangel Island and found herself the sole survivor when the project failed. She survived by learning skills on the job, which enabled her to hold on despite the isolation and harsh weather conditions. It’s one of those stories that makes you rethink the true meaning of the word “resourceful.”

During the Far Eastern Party expedition to Antarctica, Mawson lost his companions and was forced to return alone, exhausted and ill. The archives describe how he crossed glaciers and braved snowstorms for weeks, reaching a supply depot just before the ship that could take him home set sail.

Steven Callahan spent 76 days adrift in a life raft in the Atlantic after his boat was damaged and sank. He had to contend with sharks, equipment failures, and a severe decline in physical condition, all while staying alive thanks to makeshift solutions. The fact that he held on long enough to be rescued near the mainland is the kind of timing you just can’t plan for.

Alvarenga was found in the Marshall Islands after drifting for about 14 months, from late 2012 to early 2014. According to reports, he survived by eating raw fish, turtles, birds, and rainwater, while his companion reportedly died earlier during this ordeal. Even if you’ve heard stories of “shipwreck survivors” before, this one pushes the boundaries.

Alain Bombard deliberately crossed the Atlantic in a small boat without provisions to prove that it was possible to survive. He ate fish, limited his intake of seawater, and stayed hydrated with whatever he could find, deliberately pushing his body to its limits. This is a rare case where the danger was not an accident, but a deliberate choice.

At the age of 11, Terry Jo Duperrault survived alone at sea for about 82 hours on a small cork float after a terrible accident aboard the yacht Bluebelle. She had no food, no shelter, and no protection from the sun or the elements. Her chances of survival seemed slim until she was miraculously rescued.

Violet Jessop was aboard the RMS Olympic when it collided with another ship; she survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic and then that of the HMHS Britannic. She thus survived three major maritime disasters involving sister ships, all during the course of a single career.

RAF pilot Nicholas Alkemade survived a fall of about 5,500 meters after jumping from a burning bomber in 1944 without a parachute. According to eyewitness accounts, he landed in trees and snow, which likely cushioned the impact. Not only did he survive, but he suffered only a sprained leg, minor burns, and bruises.

Roy Sullivan, an American forest ranger, is said to have been struck by lightning seven times and to have survived each incident. Guinness World Records recognizes him as the person who has survived the most recorded lightning strikes. It’s incredible that he continued to go outside after the second strike.

Phineas Gage survived an accident in 1848 in which a poker pierced his skull. He lived for years after the accident, and his case became famous because it had an impact on his behavior and personality. It is at once horrific, fascinating, and medically significant.

In 1902, Mount Pelée destroyed Saint-Pierre in Martinique and killed approximately 30,000 people. Ludger Sylbaris survived thanks to an isolated prison cell that shielded him from the worst of the pyroclastic flow. Being saved because you were locked up isn’t the life lesson you’d expect, but it worked.

Beck Weathers survived the 1996 Everest disaster after being left for dead during the storm and exposure to the cold. He later resurfaced, severely frostbitten, and ultimately survived injuries from which most people would not have recovered, including the loss of his arm and nose.

Mountaineer Joe Simpson’s accident on Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes left him with a severely fractured leg and no easy way down. After being left for dead by his climbing partner, he endured a long and painful rescue to reach safety, as later recounted in Touching the Void. It seems that perseverance, the will to survive, and perhaps a bit of vengeful rage combined to give him superhuman abilities.

Hiroo Onoda continued to operate in the Philippines for nearly 29 years after the end of World War II, convinced that the war was still going on. He survived by hiding for a long time, scavenging through trash, and avoiding capture until 1974. It is a story of survival, to be sure, but also a reminder of how beliefs can override reality for a surprisingly long time.

When the tugboat Jascon 4 sank off the coast of Nigeria in 2013, Harrison Okene survived for nearly 60 hours in an air pocket inside the capsized vessel. Divers found him alive when they had expected to find only bodies, and his rescue became famous.