Longest Free Dive

A single breath to 332 meters below the surface, deeper than the Eiffel Tower is tall/Human Records & Feats

The world record for the deepest free dive (no-limits apnea, with a weighted sled descent and an air-filled lift bag ascent) is 332 meters, set by Herbert Nitsch in 2012. At that depth, the water pressure is about 34 atmospheres, compressing the lungs to roughly the size of oranges. Nitsch suffered severe decompression sickness during the ascent and required years of rehabilitation. In the constant weight discipline, where divers use only their own power, the record is 130 meters (Alexey Molchanov, 2023). The mammalian dive reflex, which slows the heart rate and shifts blood to vital organs, allows trained free divers to hold their breath for over 4 minutes during a descent.