New World Record for Staying under Water

Minggu, 24 Januari 2010

Daily Mail

New record: Will Goodman gives the thumbs up during his incredible dive

KOMPAS.com - A British diver has set a new world record by spending more than TWO DAYS under water. Will Goodman, 33, spent an astonishing 48 hours, 9 minutes and 17 seconds under water during a dive in Indonesia.

This beat the previous record by more than six minutes and landed him the record for the longest open saltwater scuba dive. Mr Goodman, a professional diver originally from Hertfordshire, performed the dive off the island of Lombok.

He stayed in a metal frame to make sure he stayed at the right depth and was fed rations through a tube. His support team, keeping a close eye from above, kept replenishing his air supply as he needed it.

Mr Goodman managed to stay awake by watching films on an underwater iPod but says it was a physical ordeal. 'The first 24 hours were paradise, very serene and meditative, with rays and fish swimming past and lightning strikes illuminating the water above me,' he told the Sun.

'It's a pressurised environment and after a while really begins to hurt. It felt as though my legs were being stabbed.

'I felt like I'd been bricked into a wall and my mind became distortedc. All I though about was having a nice cup of tea.'

The diver has already made two unofficial world records. In 2005, he spent 24 hours under water and then 33 hours in 2008. His new record was watched by witnesses and will be registered with Guiness World. The previous record of 48 hours and 3 minutes was set by Robert Silva in Belize in September 2009.