NEW YORK (8 May 2006) -- After a week-long test of endurance submerged in a giant round aquarium, magician David Blaine was unable to set a new record for holding his breath underwater during his Monday night finale. After seven minutes and eight seconds, Blaine began to convulse and had to be rescued, falling short of the record of 8 minutes, 58 seconds. But after 177 hours underwater, Blaine did set the record for the longest person submerged under water consistently. "I am humbled so much by the support of everybody from New York city and all over the world," Blaine said after the medical team removed the oxygen tank. "This was a very difficult week, but you all made it fly by with your strong spirit, your energy, thank you so much everybody." "I thank you all and I love you all," he said crying, wrapped in towels and supported by the divers. Shortly after seven minutes and eight seconds, bubbles started to appear, which meant that Blaine would soon pass out. Moments after the bubbles were visible, two divers had to dive into the 2.4 metre tank and rescue him. During the first four minutes Blaine said that he would conserve his energy by mentally putting his body to sleep and then go through the alphabet by listing the name of friends and family for each letter. At minute five, when his body really started to fight back for air, he began to take off the handcuffs. Moments before Blaine prepared to try to break the record, the chains were providing logistical problems. In order for him to perform the stunt, he had to stand up straight, but the chains were forcing him off balance. | | American stuntman David Blaine is helped out of his water-filled glass sphere after his unsuccessful attempt at a record for holding his breath underwater at Lincoln Center in New York May 8, 2006. Blaine lasted seven minutes and eight seconds after spending seven days in the tank. photo by Brendan McDermid The magician, who was handcuffed at eight different points on his body, was forced to hold the chains. His trainer worried that the extra use of his muscles may burn more oxygen then they had planned. "He is pushing his body insanely to the limits," said Dr. Murat Gunel, who headed Blaine's medical team. On Sunday, the 33-year-old magician said that he was in "pretty bad shape" after a week underwater. Yet, Blaine who has been wearing a diving helmet that allows two-way communication, refused to abandon his stunt. "Everything is still on as planned, and I'm going to give it my best shot," Blaine said from his perch on the plaza of Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts as spectators gawked and waved at him. The week Blaine spent underwater has taken a toll. Blaine suffered from peeling skin, sharp pain in his joints and a bad earache. SOURCE - Reuters |
