A 21-year-old girl died instantly in a serious accident while participating in a “ropeless bungee jump”, according to information posted on social media.
The unfortunate incident occurred in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A 21-year-old woman who was about to perform a rope jump, an outdoor sport that involves jumping from great heights while attached to a cable, was tragically thrown about 40 meters without the appropriate protective equipment, resulting in her death. Details gathered by local vehicles and statements from the police force exposed multiple failures and negligence on the part of those responsible for the activity.
The victim of the tragedy, Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, aged 21, was propelled from a height of approximately 40 meters without being properly connected to the safety rope. Visual records of the moment of the fatality circulated widely.
The young Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was the person involved in the sad event. On June 13, she was part of an excursion group organized by a private company and went to the Skeleton Bridge to try rope jumping. However, at the time of the jump, Maria was not connected to the essential safety device and collapsed onto the bridge bed, devoid of any protective equipment. Witnesses recorded the incident on video. “Although several collaborators were at the scene, apparently no one noticed the lack of attachment of the rope to Maria. Several of them tried to escape, but were arrested shortly afterwards, totaling six arrests. Three of the individuals captured at the scene already face charges of intentional homicide, defined when the perpetrator acts with awareness of the risk of causing the death of others”, explained a reporter focused on international issues. Andrea Dantas Levy, head of the São Paulo state police station, told local media that the company offering the jumping activity “operated without the appropriate license”.
Prevalence of illegal jumps on bridges in Brazil
This regrettable episode does not represent the first case involving companies offering “illegal bungee jumping” in São Paulo. The previous October, a 26-year-old woman suffered a serious head injury while participating in a bungee jump in another structure, located in the western region of São Paulo. “The bridge in question was a point where the practice of bungee jumping was strictly prohibited by the municipal administration, however, the modality popularly known as ‘illegal bungee jumping’ proved to be a common occurrence. Tatiane Rosa Costa, the person victimized in the incident, was invited by an acquaintance who had already performed jumps in the same location on several occasions and joined the activity, unaware of the risks or the established ban”, adds the report.
According to the instructions of the person responsible for the activity, Tatiane received an elastic rope and safety equipment, performing the jump from a height of approximately 30 meters from the bridge. At that moment, she was reassured with the statement that “there was no danger of shock”. “However, after the descent, the power of the rope at its maximum extension, when it abruptly retracted, propelled her body upwards, resulting in a strong collision of her head against the lower structure of the bridge. An intense noise, a ‘bang!’, reverberated throughout the environment. Fortunately, her life was spared, but the pain persisted for five days, and she was advised to undergo an MRI at a clinic. According to Tatiane, during the incident, the prosecutors not only failed to offer immediate medical assistance at the scene, as well as demanding full payment for the service provided”, adds the report.
The number of people injured as a result of irregular bungee jumping activities continues to rise. Faced with this worrying scenario, the local population is intensifying calls for stricter supervision and firmer measures against these clandestine operations.
