Yes, at 10 fell approx 50 ft deep into a well (it was the early ‘90s). Trust me, it is super scary. Luckily there was water in the well, it was fully filled but it was an experience. It wasn't foolish like leaning over and falling in. It was an accident. It was a hand dug well with rings uncovered, close to where I live. The tin bucket was actually bigger than me, so I didn’t think about that until I got to it. I threw a tin bucket and as I was trying to fetch the water from the well I fell through and unfortunately tin bucket pulled me in with it that I was at the bottom of the well. I struggled and was able to get to the top, got stuck in the wall with the legs stretched out in at the small space left and could find something to grab onto. The water level of the well was high enough that I could climb back up.
In the monsoon when water level of the well is high enough that one can climb back up, not because I did that knowingly but it all happened itself as I was able to shuffle my arms and legs in desperation. Water played an important role in my ability or to say my desperation to get out of the water and to climb up. As a child growing up you tend to get fascinated with anything that attracts you and for me fetching water from the well was one of them. Drawing water from a well and pouring it to another develops hand-eye coordination, through pouring water from one bucket to another, or learning how to control the flow of water. That was me — a small boy drawing water from a well in 9th Assam Rifles paramilitary apartments in Kimin, Arunachal Pradesh in India.
Everything happened so quickly and I was not able to comprehend the after shock or shocking situation I was in. I was fetching water from the well somehow accidentally slipped into the well. The rapid wave is strong and you are being carried downstream! Luckily my senses worked at the spur of the moment and was able to react as quickly as I could to stretched my legs out in the smalls gap left and was saved from misery before starting to cramp up. A boy named Pradeep happened to witness my accidental fall in the well on his way home from school and was immediately able to inform my mother, who was doing house chores at home. On hearing this accidental fall she leapfrogged near the well within no time, surrounded by neighbor's and people walking on the road gathered and aided in my rescue act.
I could only remember my mother stretching her arms towards me and when I actually gained consciousness, I found myself in the bed, mother by my side and surrounded by curious people. They tried to grab the opportunity to give their opinions and were even suggesting to come up with solution regarding the injuries I sustained. I was kind of lucky that I did not drank much water, haven't sustained any serious injuries there were no fractures, only cuts and bruises over my body. One can certainly get hurt or even die during the fall. When seriously hurt, think of broken bones or open wounds, it will definitely limit the time of survival. It was a brave act from my mother and it was successful but the aftershock was strong enough. Many victims have been rescued alive and handed over to their families in the past and I was one lucky among them.
It was a good spring fed well were the water was full about 35f, and the water in it was potable . People nearby houses frequent the well to draw water. Just about an hour of being into it, i could some how see the bottom of the well though the water on the well was almost full. I could see the rocks, also some kind of household utensils got into them, toys, metal bucket in the well was not uncommon. Yes you find all those stuff at the bottom and needs to clean them yearly to prevent scarlet fever, black water and other water born diseases.
As I contemplate on this subject mater, it makes me wonder how long could one survive in a well? or how long can a human survive at the bottom of a well? Like I said before, it depends. You can get hurt or even die during the fall. When seriously hurt, think of broken bones or open wounds, it will definitely limit the time of survival. Is there water in the well? Is it clean water? If there is no water in the well you will probably only survive a few days and die of dehydration. If the water isn't clean you can survive somewhat longer, but can get seriously sick over time and die. If you haven't sustained any injuries and there is clean water in the well, you will survive much longer ending up in starving to death. Starving can take a long time. It is impossible to predict how long it will take for someone to die. This depending on various factors like build and the possibility for one's body to adapt to a more energy friendly state.
As far as I learned from my research on this issue, the previous research done on this subject, they use the number 3 in survival. Three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food. But these are all averages and will depend on the person. Of course it also depends on a lot of other things, for example can you stand or sit in the well or have to keep swimming, which actually is not possible, even if you know how to swim for how long, you get exhausted after some time. In any survival situation survivability can't be predicted due to the fact that every situation and every person and even the state of a person is different.
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