underwater escape
Fleeing beneath waves
An underwater escape is a magic trick or stunt in which a performer, typically restrained by handcuffs, chains, or a straitjacket, frees themselves while submerged—often in a locked container.
Harry Houdini popularized the feat in the early 1900s.
The term also describes emergency techniques for escaping a submerged vehicle: The instructor demonstrated underwater escape from a helicopter.
- diveHeadfirst water entry
- drownDie by submersion
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- breathAir taken in
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
submersible · hatch · airlock · submarine · Houdini · tank · straps · breaking free · handcuffs · chains · thrash · fight or flight · gasp · coming up for air · lungs · bubbles · murky · depths