In response to your question, "it is real" the answer is perhaps!
Sucessfully ditching a powerless or barely controllable aircraft at night in stormy seas is a near impossible task at best. The best that could be reasonably hoped for is that some of fuselage pieces stayed afloat long enough for at least a few survivors to escape.
In the day, with a calm sea and a controlled ditching, your chances are greatly improved. The cargo 707 that recently ditched by accident in Lake Victoria proved that. The crew had the 707 set up in a landing configuration, with the flaps and gear down and accidentally set down on the lake, believing it to be the runway.
There are some photos floating around of it in one piece in the lake. The crew were fine.
The Ethiopian 767 that was hijacked and flamed out would have probably stayed in one piece next to the beach had the hijackers not been attacking the pilots with a hammer as they were trying to get it down. In the circumstances that was an astounding piece of airmanship.
Also it has been argued that you have a greater chance of walking (swimming.?)away in an aircraft with a clean wing, ie 727, MD80 because there are no engines to dig in and cartwheel you in after the impact.
As a pilot, I sincerely hope I never have to try it.....
[This message has been edited by below_the_line_please (edited 15 January 2001).]