Tragedy in Maricá: 59-year-old woman dies after falling into cave while preparing to rappel

A steep trail in Maricá, on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, was the scene of a tragedy last Sunday, the 14th. Rosemary Suzart Garcia, aged 59, lost her life after falling from a cave while preparing to rappel.

Emergency services were called at around 10:44 am, according to data from the Fire Department, which described the incident as a rescue in a hillside or mountain area. The fall happened specifically in Gruta do Spar.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro have already begun investigations into the incident. Experts were at the scene of the accident to collect evidence, and the case was duly registered at the 82nd Maricá Police Station.

In an official statement, the municipal administration of Maricá clarified that the region where the accident occurred is private property. The site, however, is located within the limits of the Maricá Municipal Wildlife Refuge (REVIS).

The city hall’s note reinforces that, “because it is private property, the City Hall is not responsible for authorizing, supervising or prohibiting rappelling activities carried out on site.” Investigations to determine the causes of the incident remain the responsibility of the competent authorities.

Tragedy in Maricá is the second fatal accident involving extreme sports last weekend

This sad event in Maricá occurs days after another serious incident. A 21-year-old girl, Maria Eduarda, died in the interior of São Paulo after falling from a bridge during a rope jumping session in Limeira, being thrown by the instructors without properly securing the safety ropes.

The accident in São Paulo happened on the well-known Ponte do Esqueleto, part of a deactivated railway branch of the old Federal Railway Network. Located between Limeira and Cordeirópolis, in the central region of São Paulo, the structure has been used for extreme sports for over ten years.

In response to the death at Ponte do Esqueleto, the Federal Heritage Secretariat (SPU) began evaluating the demolition of the structure. The body, which is part of the Ministry of Management and Innovation, held a meeting on Tuesday, the 16th, with teams from São Paulo and Brasília, as well as technical sectors, to discuss the next steps for dismantling.