Free diver David Vencl completed the feat in 1 minute and 54 seconds. (Reuters Photo)
Czech free diver David Vencl entered into the Guinness World Records after a record dive beneath the ice to a depth of more than 50 meters without a wetsuit. The 40-year-old performed a vertical plunge to 52.1 metres in a single breath. According to New York Post, he made the dive through a hole drilled in the ice to retrieve a sticker placed 170.9 metres below the surface to prove his feat. Mr Vencl emerged from the hole after 1 minute and 54 seconds and opened a bottle of champagne, the outlet further said.
He, however, spat out some blood and sat down for a minute before celebrating.
His promoter Pavel Kalous was quoted as saying by the Post that the swim took longer than expected. “He kind of enjoyed it but he admits he was a little more nervous than usual and he had some problems with breathing,” said Mr Kalous.
The diver was taken to a hospital where the doctors confirmed that there was nothing serious.
“There is nothing difficult for him to be in cold water… Lack of oxygen is something normal for him. But this was completely different because it’s really difficult to work with the pressure in your ears in cold water,” said Mr Kalous.
“If you combine all these three things: cold water, lack of oxygen and the problem with working with pressure, it’s something very unique,” he added.
Temperatures hovered between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius when Mr Vencl took the plunge. Air temperatures hovered around 4.4 degrees Celsius.
The Guinness World Record is the second for Mr Vencl. He first made it into the record book in 2021 after swimming the 265-foot length of an iced-over Czech lake with just one breath.
