Czech survives 10 days buried alive in coffin

PRAGUE (AFP) - A 50-year-old Czech man has survived 10 days buried underground in a wooden coffin without food and water, setting what he claims is a new world record, the CTK news agency reported.

Zdenek Zahradka, a holy man or fakir, was connected with the outside world only by a ventilation pipe and said Friday that the most difficult thing to endure during the feat was severe thirst.

Zahradka said he spent most of the time sleeping or contemplating and sometimes spoke to friends through the pipe.

"While I was underground I thought about all the things happening in the world, and I realised that human life is so futile that we must be glad for the time given to us. We should respect our lives."

Zahradka said he beat the previous world record for being buried alive by four days and will apply to be registered in the Guinness Book of World Records.

"Of course I do not agree with what he did, but now that he has succeeded, I am glad. The main thing is that it has turned out well," his wife Alena said.

According to doctors, Zahradka lost 8.5 kilograms (almost 19 pounds) during his time in the coffin.

Zahradka, alias Ben Ghan, has already set several records during his career. In 1979, he was the first in the world to swallow a sword that measured 55 centimetres (about 27 inches) long.