A German lived 120 days underwater and set a new world record (2 photos + 2 videos)
27 January 2025
Rudiger Koch, 59, a former aerospace engineer, spent 120 days at a depth of 11 meters in an underwater capsule off the coast of Panama and got into the Guinness Book of Records. 
Rudiger Koch, a 59-year-old aerospace engineer from Germany, set a new world record for the longest time spent underwater without breaking the seal. He spent 120 days in an underwater capsule off the coast of Panama.
The record was officially recorded by a representative of the Guinness Book of Records, who confirmed that Koch had surpassed the achievement of American Joseph Dituri. The latter lived 100 days in an underwater house in a Florida lagoon.
Koch called his experience "a wonderful adventure" and noted that the time spent at a depth of 11 meters was unique for him.
It's wonderful when everything calms down, gets dark, and the sea glows. It's impossible to describe, you have to feel it for yourself, - Koch said about the view opening up through the portholes.
Celebrating the end of the experiment, Koch raised a glass of champagne, smoked a cigar and jumped into the Caribbean Sea. After that, he was taken to the shore for a celebratory party.
The 30-square-meter underwater home was equipped with everything necessary for life: a bed, toilet, TV, computer, internet, and even an exercise bike. Electricity was provided by solar panels, and food was delivered through a pipe, which also served as a passage for visitors, including a doctor. However, there were no showers in the capsule.
Rüdiger Koch's experiment is designed to demonstrate that the marine environment can become suitable for human habitation.
We are trying to prove that the seas are actually a viable environment for human expansion, he said.
His life underwater was continuously recorded by four cameras, which also monitored his mental health and proved that Koch never rose to the surface.
