The Man Who Survived 18 Days Without Food And Water
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28 April 2024
How long can a person survive without any food or water? Scientists agree that humans can only survive 3-4 days without consuming any food or water
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However, in 1979, an Austrian man-Andreas Mihavecz set a world record for surviving 18 days without any food or liquids
Image: @AmerYaaqoub/X
On April 1, 1979, the 18-year-old was accidentally placed in a holding cell due to his involvement in a car crash as a passenger
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Unfortunately, police officers who arrested him forgot about him and went on vacation. He was left alone in the cell, and his cries went unheard
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He survived by licking moisture off the walls, losing a staggering 24 kg during his ordeal
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18 days later on April 19, an officer who had unrelated business in the basement opened his cell after noticing the stench that was emanating from it
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He was shocked to see Mihavecz lying on the floor, barely alive: ''He looked like a skeleton with skin. He could hardly speak or move''
Image: PTI
According to Guinness World Records, he was "close to death"
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Mr Mihavecz survived, but it took him months to regain his health. He also sued the police for negligence
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Two years after the incident, he was awarded approximately $62,000 in damages by a civil court
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