Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
An aerospace engineer not only spent 120 days in the air, but also in space – but underwater.
On Friday, Rüdiger Koch completed his 120th day in a submerged capsule in the Caribbean, setting an official Guinness World Record for the longest time spent underwater without passing out. His aim was to prove that the oceans are potential habitats for future human expansion, as reported AFP.
“It was a great adventure and now it’s over I almost regret it. I enjoyed my time here very much,” the 59-year-old from Germany told AFP. “When things calm down and it gets dark and the sea shines.” He celebrated the victory with champagne, a cigar and a swim.
🌊 Day 120! Mission accomplished! 🎉
Complete the alive underwater challenge! Thank you for being a part of this journey into the future of ocean habitats. 🌍💙
📢 Join us live on IG today for the awards ceremony!
🕐 It is 1:15 pm
🔗 IG Link: https://t.co/hvs9s6nnfn pic.twitter.com/9m8lww5v5s— Ocean Builders (@oceanbuilders) January 24, 2025
Koch spent nearly four months in a 322.9 square foot (30 square meter) capsule 36 feet (11 meters) below the water’s surface off the coast of Panama. Built by Ocean Builders—a company founded by Koch that works on sustainable ocean living—the capsule had a bed, toilet, internet, electricity, TV and an exercise bike. It did not, however, have a shower (which makes his celebratory dip on Friday all the more understandable) and limited access to fresh water.
“It’s like waking up from a dream. I was in a magic dreamland,” he said, as reported the time.
The underwater capsule was connected to the upper water pod by a tube with a spiral staircase. The stairs were only for visitors, such as a doctor, or family and friends to bring supplies. According to AFP, the capsule was equipped with four cameras to verify that the coach never took off.
The Guinness World Records adjudicator who confirmed the new world record told AFP, “We need witnesses who were observing and verifying 24/7 for over 120 days,” the previous record holder. Joseph GyanAn American man who lived in an underwater Florida lodge for 100 days.
The purpose of the coach journey under the sea was to demonstrate the potential for sustainable aquatic human expansion.
“Going out to sea is something we should be doing, it’s actually contributing to the recovery of things like reefs,” he said. CBS Two months into the adventure, though, he didn’t elaborate on how Ocean Builder’s capsules might contribute to that environmental vision.
According to Sea Builder, “Our technology will allow civilization to move to the ocean and unlock the ocean as a new frontier with a way of life unmatched anywhere else.” website. “We believe that by learning to live in water we will open a new wave of eco-sustainable innovation that will lead to more sustainable living on land.”
It remains to be seen how, or if, the experience affected Koch’s health — and who else might be interested in living 36 feet underwater in the future.
