One would think that hitting the slipstream at two-digit Mach numbers cannot be good for you, but like the article says, the thin air made the actual dynamic force equivalent to a hurricane wind at sea level. I frankly don't know what to think. I'm seeing Shuttle debris and artifacts come back almost intact that one would not think could survive a car crash. I suspect as more items are recovered, like that video tape, we will find out more.

It is assumed that at least some of the Challenger astronauts were conscious after the orbiter breakup back then, and possibly even until they hit the water, but although they were at low altitude I believe they were traveling at just over Mach 1, which is survivable in properly designed ejection seats.