Woman dies in Brazil rope jump accident after operators fail to attach safety cord
Editor’s note: This story contains disturbing details that may be upsetting to some readers.
Viewers were shocked and horrified after a video emerged showing a woman plunging to her death during a rope jump in Brazil, after operators allegedly forgot to attach the safety cord.
The incident occurred on Saturday at the abandoned Skeleton Bridge located in Limeira, São Paulo, reports The Guardian. A day of thrillseeking soon turned into a tragedy after a serious mistake in the safety procedure during a rope jump, an extreme sport similar to bungee jumping, but involving a pendulum swing from a static line.
In several disturbing videos of the incident posted online, three men can be seen holding a woman overhead as they stand on a platform of a bridge, preparing to launch her off the edge. The woman can be seen wearing a harness and a helmet. According to local news site G1, as soon as they launch her off the bridge, the festive atmosphere quickly turns to panic as witnesses shout, “Guys, the rope!”
The video then shows the rope that operators allegedly failed to attach. Another video shows the woman falling 130 feet to the ground.
The incident occurred in Limeira, São Paulo (Dmitrijs Kaminskis/Shutterstock)
Emergency services were called; however, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to People, the victim was identified as 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, a physical education and sports management graduate.
Three men aged 27, 32, and 42 were arrested and charged with homicide with implied malice.
“It was a team there that wasn’t regulated; they didn’t even have authorization to be there. They ended up organizing this event,” stated investigator Andrea Dantas Levy.
Defense attorneys for the three men said that they are very experienced in the field and added that this was the first fatality in years of operation.
Police in Brazil are investigating the incident.
The Government of Canada advises Canadians to “exercise a high degree of caution” when travelling to Brazil due to high crime rates and gang-related violence in urban areas.