A Man Who Nearly Drowned at the Height of 30,000 Ft

Not many survival stories can rival the miracle that happened to Marine Lt. Col. William Henry Rankin in 1959. See for yourself: one bad day, this man nearly drowned -- falling from the sky! Um, are you saying that it sounds too paradoxical to be true?

So, it was a high-altitude flight, and Rankin, together with his wingman were flying at the height of more than 47,000 ft. The only thing that could cause some trouble was a storm that was raging far beneath the planes, but now, it didn't present any threat. However, the pilots were supposed to pass through this storm on their way to the Marine air base in Beaufort, South Carolina...