We have seen too many stories about flying away from the Soviet Union in a plane. The following story of escaping from the Soviet Union is very different, it can be called the hardest way. He jumped off the cruise ship, spent two days and three nights on the sea, and finally arrived in the Philippines.
is Stanislav Kurilov. He is an oceanographer in the Soviet Union. He worked at the Institute of Oceanography of the Soviet Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Marine Biology at Vladivostok . It may be because of his identity as an oceanographer that he chose to swim at sea to escape. His expertise allowed this hardcore escape plan to be realized.
Stanislav Kurilov was born in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, Soviet Union in 1936. When he was a child, he moved to Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan with his parents.
Semipalatinsk is close to the famous river of Kazakhstan-the Irtysh River. Kurilov liked to go swimming with his friends in the Irtysh River since he was a child, and he was often reprimanded by his parents for this. However, this childhood experience allowed Kurilov to develop a good water level, and it also laid the groundwork for later swimming and escape from the Soviet Union. Z1z
Kurilov has longed to sail at sea since he was a child and became a navy. However, he was not admitted by the Navy because of his nearsightedness. Kurilov had to study at the Leningrad Meteorological Institute. After graduation, he became a meteorological researcher. Z1z
was probably lucky. Kurilov was assigned to the Institute of Oceanography of the Soviet Academy of Sciences (the Institute of Oceanography also needs a large number of meteorologists), and he realized his sailing dream through another route.
Later, Kurilov was transferred to work at the Institute of Marine Biology in Vladivostok. Now he has gotten closer to the sea, and sailing has become commonplace. Z1z
Kurilov working at the Institute of Marine Biology in Vladivostok
However, Kurilov is not happy at work. The reason is that his "composition" is not good. One of Kurilov's sister married an Indian and immigrated to Canada. So Kurilov became a "restricted person" with relatives of "enemy agents". In addition, he has two joint underwater projects that have failed, so he has become less and less popular in the Institute of Oceanography, and more and more excluded.
Kurilov lived in negativity and pain all day, and gradually began to want to-anyway, he was not married, had no family, and escaped from the Soviet Union alone without being involved.
But how do you escape? Kurilov didn't think about it.
until December 1974 he saw an advertisement. A cruise ship called the "Soviet Soyuz" is docking in Vladivostok. They are calling tourists to set sail with the theme "From Winter to Summer".
The sailing route of the "Soviet Soyuz" cruise ship is to sail from Vladivostok into the Sea of Japan, then cross the Tsushima Strait into the East China Sea, sailing all the way south, passing through the waters off the east coast of Taiwan, continue south, arrive at the coast of the Philippines, and continue south. Arrive near the equator in Papua New Guinea, here is the end point.
This journey from the cold of Vladivostok to the heat of the equator is not "from winter to summer".
Kurilov realized that the "Soviet Soyuz" cruise ship was a good time for him to escape. Because the cruise ship will not stop at any ports along the way, tourists do not need passports or visas, and they will board the ship when they pay.
Kurilov will not miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, hurry up to pay and board!
Beforehand, Kurilov had learned about the route of the "Soviet Soyuz" cruise ship. He made a careful plan to jump into the sea near Siargao Island in the Philippines, and then swim to Siargao Island.
Green point: Jumping point, white point: Siargao Island, red circle: near the equator at the end of the journey
On the evening of December 13, 1974, the "Soviet Soyuz" was on scheduleCame to the sea near Siargao Island. At this time, the sea was very windy and people stayed in the cabin. It was an excellent opportunity for Kurilov, and it would not be discovered.
Kurilov wears simple swimming equipment: flippers and swimming breathing mask. Find the right time, "plop" and jump off the boat! Kurilov was lucky that he was not spotted, let alone hit the propeller of the ship-otherwise he would be muddied.
At that time, there had been strong winds and waves in the sea near Siargao Island for several days, which made it extremely difficult for Kurilov to swim. He was often beaten off course by the waves. He had to fight the wind and waves and was exhausted.
After successfully fleeing, Kurilov in his later years
is even more terrifying because Kurilov did not bring water (this swimming equipment does not allow him to carry anything), and dehydration appeared the next night, and his legs were almost I lost consciousness and felt heavy and heavy...
Fortunately, a wave came and brought Kurilov to a reef that was only a few square meters away. Kurilov immediately saw hope, and he swam across it desperately.
rested on the reef for a long time, and Kurilov recovered a bit. He doesn't want to be dehydrated and die here. He has only one thought in his mind, he must swim to Siargao Island!
Fortunately, Kurilov's excellent water and strong willpower, he survived. After an incredible two days and three nights on the sea, I finally arrived at Siargao Island in the Philippines!
Siargao Island, Philippines
Curilov was rescued by local fishermen and reported to the Philippine authorities. As a result, Kurilov was arrested as a Soviet spy.
Kurilov spent nearly a year in a Philippine prison. His sister in Canada helped a lot and was released from the crime of being a Soviet spy. After being released from prison, Kurilov went to live in Canada under the arrangement of his sister.
and said that Kurilov’s escape made the Soviet Union a big shame. In the absence of Kurilov’s trial, the Soviet court sentenced him to ten years in prison for “treason”. Of course, this is just a procedure and it will not have any effect on Kurilov. Even in the eyes of Westerners, it is an evidence of his legendary experience. Z1z
Kurilov lived in Canada for 12 years, and then immigrated to Israel to settle down and work at the Ocean and Lake Science Institute in Israel Haifa . Kurilov also married a Jewish woman in Israel.
During his stay in Israel, Kurilov wrote a book "Lonely Ocean", focusing on his escape process. This book sells well and has been translated into many languages. The western world is very interested in his legendary experience.
In 1998, Kurilov died in Israel at the age of 62.
