Longest time underwater without air-world
record set by David Merlini
[Oct 11] LOS ANGELES, CA, US--Hungarian escape artist David Merlini
has broken the world record for the longest time underwater without
air: 10 minutes and 17 seconds without a breath while chained and
handcuffed under water in a glass tank.
Photo:
Hungarian escape artist David Merlini broke the world record for
the longest time under water without air in Hollywood, California,
on Wednesday. Chained and handcuffed in a water-filled glass tank,
Merlini achieved a breathtaking time of 10 minutes and 17 seconds./
AFP/Gabriel Bouys
The
extraordinary feat took place at Hollywood's Magic Castle, the world
famous club for magicians and magic enthusiasts and home to The
Academy of Magical Arts.
The intrepid performer originally tried to pull off
the stunt on Tuesday, but to the disappointment of fans he had to
pull out after only one minute and 12 seconds. He later revealed
that the water was so cold it was cramping his muscles.
But the determined stunt-man returned to defy nature
the next day. With his hands tied by five sets of police handcuffs,
Merlini was locked down with 60 pounds of chains. He was then padlocked
in a metal cage and lowered into a locked transparent tank of water.
Hungarian escape artist Merlini's fascination
with magic began at the age of four. While most children were playing
with Lego and action figures he chose to play with locks and handcuffs.
He first mastered the art of escape at Hungary's Island
'95 Festival where he was strapped into a straitjacket and hung
upside down from a burning rope 30 feet in the air. Free in less
than 100 seconds, Merlini's next conquest was a chained and padlocked
welded steel case.
Merlini has also been buried in concrete, and has escaped
from a rocket's demolition. But nothing in his stunt-filled career
could match his latest astonishing endeavour.
David
Merlini will also be appearing, Saturday, October 13, 2007, 5:00
PM at the Barker Hanger, Santa Monica, CA, at the World Magic Awards
2007 (benefiting Feed The Children), were he will receive the "World's
Best Escape Artist" award.
Expect the unexpected as the 2007 World Magic Awards
hosted by Sir Roger Moore comes to MyNetworkTV this November.
Tune-in to see today's most popular illusionists and
Hollywood's favorite stars including Penn & Teller, Lance Burton,
Rick Thomas, Mac King, David Merlini, Hans Klok & Pamela Anderson,
Jason Alexander, Steve Valentine, Neil Patrick Harris, and Joan
Collins
