Good Luck Stories 2012 Archive.

Russian Base-jumper Cheats Death: ... July 6, 2012.

An nervous, amateur would-be Russian base-jumper was lucky to escape alive when his parachute failed to open after he leapt off a 120 metre high power pylon.

He was only saved because he landed in deep snow but suffered fractured vertebrae, legs, and pelvis.

Construction Worker Speared by Steel Rod: ... September 15, 2012.

A Brazilian worker stumbled and fell 3 metres onto a metre-long steel rod protruding up out of a concrete floor at a construction site.

The steel rod pierced his neck but luckily missed large arteries and vital organs. A fellow workman cut the rod free so the injured man could be rushed to hospital to have emergency surgery.

Man Survives Horrific Shark Attack: ... August 29, 2012.

A surfer suffered massive blood loss after being attacked by a shark off the coast near Carnarvon, Western Australia.

The shark first attacked the surfer's torso then came back a second time and "ripped his arm to pieces".

Canyoneer Survives 140' Fall: ... August 13th, 2012.

A dentist canyoneering in Sedona, Arizona USA suffered multiple fractures after he fell while attempting a 375 foot rappel down a canyon wall.

A helicopter rescue couldn't be carried out until the following day because of the extremely difficult terrain.

Russian Trucker Cheats Death: ... September 26, 2012.

A Russian semi-trailer truck driver was incredibly lucky to escape a head-on collision with an oncoming semi that ripped his cabin apart and sent him hurtling through the windscreen (what was left of it).

The way he cooly swings down from the wreckage (what... no seat belts in Russia?) and walks away unscathed is simply unbelievable!

Camera-man Escapes Iraq Blasts: ... September 9, 2012.

A camera man was lucky not to be killed when a second car bomb exploded near him in the city of Kirkuk, Iraq.

The first car bomb (targeting police recruits) was detonated moments earlier, killing 8.

RallyCross Driver Cheats Death: ... July 1, 2012.

21 year old RallyCross driver Toomas Heikkinen nearly lost his head (literally) when he failed to make a 70 foot-gap ramp jump while practicing a stunt.

He somehow managed to crawl out of the smouldering wreck and limp away.

Bible Reader Survives Avalanche: ... September 24, 2012.

Glen Plake was in his tent on the slopes of Mt Manaslu (at 22,950 feet), Nepal reading his Bible (1st Samuel) around 4.00 am when an avalanche swept through the camp.

At least 11 climbers were killed and another 12 injured. Mt Manaslu was first climbed in 1956, and to date has claimed over 60 lives.

Scooter Rider Side-swipes Truck: ... September, 2012.

A Russian female scooter rider may have dozed off momentarily before she veered across the road and into oncoming traffic before hitting the side of a semi-trailer truck.

She was doubly lucky that the vehicle following behind her managed to stop in time.

Fishermen Survive Icy Alaskan Waters: ... September, 2012.

Two fishermen survived over 26 hours in icy waters off Sitka, Alaska after an 8 foot wave sank their boat two miles from shore.

They were thrown into the freezing water with no survival suits (life vests aren't enough in icy water), radio, or emergency beacon.

The 19 year old managed to crawl into a 4x4 ft fish bin and stay afloat, while his 24 year old companion floated away on a lid and was very lucky to find one of the survival suits from the boat floating nearby.

Chinese Truck Driver Hangs from Bridge: ... July 21, 2012.

A Chinese truck driver hauling a 30 tonne load of coal was lucky to escape with his life when his vehicle tipped over on Xuanma Bridge in Gansu Province in north-western China.

He was thrown out of the truck cabin (no seat belt?) but ended up dangling upside down, 35 feet above the ground, with his leg pinned under the truck.

Nepal Farmer Bites Cobra: ... August 24, 2012.

A Nepalese farmer, who'd just been bitten by a cobra on the leg while working a field, reacted by biting the snake back.

He said he'd heard doing so might somehow reduce the effect of the venom... "I followed it and bit it several times to kill it!" Apparently he recovered well after the incident.

Man Survives 2m Metal Bar Through Brain: ... August 17, 2012.

A 24 year old construction worker in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro has survived after a 2m metal bar fell from the 5th floor piercing his hard hat.

It took surgeons 5 hours to remove the bar which had entered the back of his skull and exited between his eyes, saying it was a miracle the man had survived.

Fire Engulfs 34 Storey Building: ... April 28, 2012.

A fire started on the first floor of a 34 storey Al Tayer Tower in the Al Nahda area of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and quickly engulfed the entire building.

A resident said most inhabitants didn't react immediately to the fire alarm because false alarms were frequently triggered by people smoking. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported.

Chinese Bike Rider takes on Truck: ... July 20, 2012.

A women riding an electric bicycle was extremely lucky not to perish under the wheels of a heavy truck in Ningbo City, in China's Zhejiang Province.

It seems she ran a red light... (Brave lady!)

Protesters Escape Fireball: ... July 4, 2012.

Kerala Student Union members from India's Mahatma Gandhi University were lucky to escape injury when they set fire to an effigy of the Vice Chancellor during a protest march.

After dousing the straw effigy with a bottle of gasoline, one lit a match which engulfed them in a fireball.

Bystander Catches Falling Girl: ... July 17, 2012.

A 7 year old autistic girl has fallen from a third storey window and been miraculously caught and saved from harm by a passing bystander.

The passing 52 year-old bus driver was on his way home when he noticed the girl dancing on an air-conditioner jutting out of the bedroom window. The window air-conditioning unit had only been installed the previous day. Apparently the autistic girl (who's mother thought was she asleep) managed to crawl through a gap left around the unit.

The good Samaritan sustained a torn ligament to his arm.

Boy Survives Alligator Attack: ... July 10, 2012.

An 11 foot alligator weighing almost 800 lbs has bitten off a 17 year old boy's arm as he swam in Florida's Caloosahatchee River.

There have been around 335 alligator attacks and 22 deaths in the area since 1948.

Although badly injured, the boy was very lucky to escape with his life.

The teen's arm was still inside the 11-foot alligator when it was hunted down and killed but it could not be reattached.

Truck Smashes Into Gas Station: ... July 9, 2012.

"We were afraid we were going to blow... there was smoke everywhere" said a shaken gas station employee after a truck flipped and smashed its way toward the petrol pumps.

The truck's driver and passenger escaped with minor injuries, citing brake failure as the cause. A car had been filling up there just minutes earlier.

Injured Hiker saves Rescuer: ... July 11, 2012.

A California Highway Patrol officer was struck on the back of the head by a helicopter blade as he was exiting the chopper sent to rescue a hiker who'd broken his leg in Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

The officer was knocked unconscious with blood pouring from his shattered skull.

Fortunately, the injured hiker was a trauma surgeon who had operated in Afghanistan. The surgeon was helped to the side of the injured rescuer and proceeded to administer life saving medical emergency treatment while the officer (and himself) were both rushed by chopper to hospital.

Boy Survives Spear Through Head: ... June 20, 2012.

A 16 year old Miami (USA) boy was shot through the head with a spear when a spear gun being loaded by a friend accidentally discharged.

The spear entered 5 cm above his right eye and emerged out the back of his skull. Surgeons removed it in a 3 hour operation saying it was a miracle no major blood vessels were ruptured.

Shark Bites Surf Ski in Two: ... June 20, 2012.

A massive shark (thought to be a Great White) has bitten an Australian man's surf ski in two at Perth's Mullaloo beach.

The 62 year old man was 150m off shore admiring a pod of dolphins when the shark attacked out of nowhere.

A fellow paddler came to the rescue and helped get the shaken (and very lucky) Aussie back to shore.

Avalanche Destroys Chairlift: ... March, 2012.

Dozens of skiers on a chairlift in the French Savoie region were lucky to escape injury when an avalanche came crashing down the St Francois Longchamp mountain side.

Helicopters were brought in to winch dangling skiers to safety from the tangled ruins of the chairlift.

Driver Rescued from Floodwaters: ... June, 2012.

Emergency crew had to use a crane to rescue a taxi driver trapped in rising floodwaters.

The driver was lucky to survive after a dam in China's Hainan province suddenly over-flowed.

How Unbelievably Lucky!
80 Year Old Skydiver Cheats Death: ... May 26, 2012.

The video of a terrifying skydiving incident (that apparently occurred last year) has surfaced and gone viral.

It shows an 80 year old woman almost slipping out of her harness as her tandem instructor desperately holds on to her legs to prevent her from falling to her death.

The woman appears to have panicked at the last moment about taking the jump but looks to have been pretty much forced out by the instructor.

Heimlich Maneuver Saves Another Life: ... May 6, 2012.

A 6 year old California girl saved the life of her choking best friend and class mate by performing the Heimlich maneuver (which she'd seen done on TV).

Dr Henry Heimlich, born 1920, first described his life saving maneuver in 1974. Since then it is credited with having saved over 50,000 lives in the USA alone.

Fire Fighters Escape Flames: ... March 30, 2012.

2012newstv cameras captured the moment 3 fire fighters in Dearborn, Michigan nearly fell through the roof of a burning building and into the fire.

They were trying to ventilate the roof when it suddenly gave way underneath them. All 3 scrambled to safety escaping serious injury.

Bus Crashes Over Cliff Taiwan: ... May 9, 2012.

Fifteen people were injured when a bus carrying South Korean tourists suffered engine failure on a very steep mountainous road in Taiwan's Taroko National Park.

The bus lost power before rolling back down and plunging over a cliff. Luckily it rolled onto its side but didn't crash all the way down to the river below.

The 13 passengers on the bus, the tour guide and driver, were all sent to a local hospital for treatment but luckily no one was killed. The area is extremely mountainous and accidents are not uncommon.

Navy Jet Destroys Apartment Block:... April 6, 2012.

A Navy F/A-18D Hornet crashed into a 40 unit apartment block in Virginia Beach turning it into a fiery inferno.

The 30,0000 lb twin engine supersonic jet suffered engine failure shortly after take off forcing the two crewman to eject.

The four-star U.S. Fleet Forces Commander said it was "a miracle" no one was killed in the mid-day crash and that no one was home at the time.

675 Fisherman Rescued From Ice Floe:... April 1, 2012.

675 Russian fisherman had to be rescued after the sheet of ice they were fishing from broke free setting them adrift into the Sea of Okhotsk.

It took helicopters and boats over 6 hours to rescue them all. No one was hurt.

Woman Survives Crocodile attack:... April 2, 2012.

A 23 year old Australian woman was lucky to survive after a 6 foot crocodile bit onto her leg and tried to drag her deeper into the fresh water pool.

Crew members of the luxury tourist vessel visiting the remote region had checked the pool prior to the incident but hadn't detected the crocodile.

Lorry Crashes 200 ft Over Cliff:... April 3, 2012.

A lorry driver in Norway had a very lucky escape when his lorry slid over the icy edge and tumbled 200ft down a cliff taking the tow-truck with it.

Amazingly, the tow truck driver escaped unhurt, while the lorry driver is recovering in hospital from several broken bones.

Man Escapes Catamaran Blaze: January, 2012.

The skipper of a burning catamaran on Australia's Gold Coast narrowly escaped serious injury when the 30 foot mast and cables came crashing down, missing him by inches.

Lucky Man Escapes 2 Car Collision: February, 2012.

Express Train Near Miss: January, 2012.

Indian couple crossing railroad tracks narrowly avoid being obliterated by an express train.

Man Survives 2 Months In Snow Covered Car: February 2012, worldmediaus.

Trapped in his car, a 44 year old Swedish man has survived -30C temperatures for 2 months after driving off the main road and down a forest track.

Rescuers found a few food wrappers and drink cartons in the car, but it seems he survived mainly on handfuls of snow and by wrapping himself in a sleeping bag.

He was recovering from hypothermia and severe malnutrition in hospital in intensive care. It appears his body had gone into a kind of hibernation which had slowed down his metabolism.

Miraculous Rescue From Dangling BMW: January, 2012.

A 36 year old mother and her two children (10 year old Sage & 10 month old Milo) were left dangling over a 100ft ravine after their BMW was rear-ended by a truck on a Californian bridge and smashed through the guard-rail.

The truck's driver was killed instantly as his rig plunged into the river below. The smash left the mangled car teetering precariously on the edge of the bridge as rescue workers tried to work out how to attempt a rescue without sending the vehicle over the edge.

Miraculously, a team of U.S. Navy Seabees happened to come along and asked if they could be of any assistance. As luck would have it, they just happened to be driving a large heavy duty fork lift which they used to support the dangling BMW to allow the rescuers to safely extract the extremely lucky family.

Man Survives 3" Nail Fired Into Head: January, 2012.

A 32 year old Illinois man thought he'd merely grazed the side of his head when he accidentally fired his nail gun while building a shed... "I thought it went past my ear."

He cleaned the wound with peroxide then carried on normally (even clearing away snow) until the next day. Feeling a bit nauseous, he finally sought medical treatment where an X-ray revealed a 3" nail embedded deep in the middle of his brain.

"I'm one of those medical miracles" said the very lucky man, Dante Autullo.

Snowmobile Almost Over Cliff Edge: January, 2012.

The rider on a snowmobile was lucky to escape death when the cliff edge suddenly started to give way under his machine.

The moment the ridge of ice and snow sheared off was captured on a camera mounted to the rider's helmet. A split second further and the snowmobile and rider would have plummeted hundreds of feet down the mountain side.

20 Tonne Boulder Flattens 4x4 In French Alps: February 2012, DailyMail.co.uk.

"It's a miracle I'm alive. Although I'm not a believer I do think this was a miracle... Now I will see life differently" said 36 year old Ludovic Masciave from his hospital bed.

After seeing the images of his flattened 4x4 under a massive 20 tonne boulder, most of us would agree.

You don't get much luckier than this!

Plane Crashes into Ferris Wheel: October 1, 2011.

An ultra-light Cheetah S200 crashed into the top of a ferris wheel at a rural fair in N.S.W. Australia but didn't cause it to topple over.

The ferris wheel had been full of children just minutes earlier, but most had jumped off due to the threat of impending rain. Two adults were trapped in the aircraft wreckage for hours. Several children were distraught but no one was seriously hurt.

Cigarette Lighter Saves Man: January 5th, 2012.

A passenger sitting in a van was saved from death when he bent down to pick up his cigarette lighter.

That same instant a huge beech tree crashed through the roof of the van killing the driver sitting next to him.

Englishman Barry Martin said "...that particular moment bending down has saved my life".

Bungee Jumper Survives 364' Fall: January 9, 2012.

22 year-old Australian Erin Langworthy said it was a "miracle" she survived the fall from the Victoria Falls Bridge in Africa.

After surviving the fall, she was forced to dive down into the crocodile-infested waters to untangle the rope binding her feet together before she was swept down stream into rapids.

She suffered cuts and severe bruising.

Out-of-control bus crashes into Gas station... a very Lucky Escape:

Woman Escapes Grave Using Ring: December 7, 2011.

27 year-old Polish national Michelina Lewandowska was allegedly buried alive by her 25 year-old partner and another man after being tasered, then bound hand and foot in her West Yorkshire home in the U.K.

She was buried in a cardboard box under 10 cm of soil with a tree branch placed on top. It took her 1 hour but she finally managed to cut herself free using her engagement ring.

MythBusters Stunt Goes Wrong: December 2011.

A stunt gone wrong by the MythBusters TV crew sent a cannonball hurtling 700 yards out of the test range and crashing through a protective concrete block wall.

The projectile smashed through the front door of a house, through the bedroom where a couple were sleeping, exiting out the back wall before bouncing off the roof of another house.

The cannonball finally came to rest when it smashed the driver's window of a mini-van (which a lucky man had exited just minutes before) and demolished the dashboard.

40 Snakes Dumped In Tax Office: November 30, 2011.

Two Indian farmers released 3 bags full of snakes into a busy Tax Office in Uttar Pradash, India (including at least 4 venomous cobras) sending workers scrambling in panic.

The men were often called out by villagers to remove dangerous reptiles and were credited with saving many lives.

The farmers were angry that their demand to the government for a designated area for them to re-locate the snakes was being held up by local officials apparently demanding bribes.

One Very Lucky Guy... Shame about the Bike: