A German aerospace engineer, Rudiger Koch, has set a new world record for living underwater without depressurisation, spending 120 days in a submerged capsule off the coast of Panama. Koch, 59, emerged from the 30-square-metre capsule on Friday to cheers and applause, with Guinness World Records adjudicator Susana Reyes officially confirming his achievement. He surpassed the previous record of 100 days, held by American Joseph Dituri.
Reflecting on the experience, Koch described his time beneath the waves as unforgettable. “It was a great adventure, and now that it’s over, there’s almost a sense of regret. I enjoyed it very much,” he said. Through the capsule’s portholes, he marvelled at the ocean’s nocturnal beauty, saying, “It is impossible to describe—you have to experience it yourself.”
To celebrate, Koch toasted with champagne, smoked a cigar, and took a leap into the Caribbean Sea before being ferried to shore for a celebratory party. His underwater home, located 11 metres (36 feet) below the surface, was equipped with essential modern amenities, including a bed, toilet, TV, computer, internet, and even an exercise bike. Food and visitors, including a doctor, arrived via a spiral staircase connecting his capsule to an above-water chamber. Solar panels provided electricity, though Koch went without a shower during his time underwater.
Koch’s goal extended beyond setting a record. He hoped to inspire new ideas about human habitation in the sea, saying, “What we are trying to do here is prove that the seas are actually a viable environment for human expansion.” His every move was filmed by four cameras, providing both documentation and mental health monitoring throughout the record-breaking endeavour.
An admirer of Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Koch kept a copy of the classic novel by his bedside during his stay. Reyes, the Guinness adjudicator, praised the achievement as one of the most unique records in recent history, remarking, “It required constant verification and tremendous effort over 120 days.”
Koch’s extraordinary feat not only rewrites the record books but also reignites discussions about the future potential of underwater living.
