No Way They Could Have Survived!

In the chilling aftermath of the Alcatraz escape, some personal effects of the fugitives were discovered adrift in the icy San Francisco Bay. Despite this clue, no bodies were ever recovered, sparking a haunting question: had the men succumbed to the frigid waters?

Survival in the bay’s low temperatures is tricky; experts estimate an adult male might withstand such conditions for only about 20 minutes before bodily functions begin to deteriorate. Plus, the escapees were unaccustomed to the cold, as the prison was maintained at a warmer temperature to prevent acclimatization to colder environments. This keeps the fate of the escapees shrouded in mystery.