German tourist escapes death after falling into the sea thanks to a pair of jeans
Quick-witted man inflates his pants to act as a life preserver after falling off a yacht.
Arne Murke and his younger brother, Helge, were sailing a 12-meter yacht from Auckland, New Zealand, to Brazil when the accident happened. On March 6, the brothers were in the middle of Tolaga Bay and about 28 kilometers from shore when rough seas caused the sail to suddenly change direction. Arne fell into the sea with a rope wrapped around his arm, according toNew Zealand HeraldMarch 10
"I was pulled down next to the boat and just a few seconds later I was underwater. Luckily, the rope loosened and I was floating without a life preserver. I was only wearing a T-shirt and jeans," Arne said.
Helge tried to throw a life jacket to her brother, but Arne couldn't reach it. He even thought the boat's motor had blown up.
Using a naval technique, the German quickly inflated his jeans into a life preserver. "I took a deep breath, took off my pants, tied a knot at the bottom of the leg and started pushing air inside," he recalled.
Arne had to hold on to his jeans despite his tired limbs and constantly inflate them to keep them from deflating. During this time, Arne could only think of his 10-month-old daughter who was living with his girlfriend in the Philippines and told himself that he had to live so that the baby would have a father.
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"Without the jeans, I probably wouldn't be here right now. It really saved my life," Arne said. Photo:New Zealand Herald. |
After about 3 hours and 30 minutes, a Hawke's Bay Rescue helicopter spotted Arne. They lowered a ladder and rescued Arne.
Now, his younger brother Helge continues his journey to Brazil while Arne stays in New Zealand. He came up with the idea of pursuing a career in lifeguarding based on his 20 years of experience at sea and his memorable near-death experience.