*A 21-year-old woman died during a bungee jump in Brazil after staff allegedly failed to attach a safety rope before throwing her from a bridge, according to witness accounts and local authorities.
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas fell approximately 131 feet from Ponte do Esqueleto, known as Skeleton Bridge, in the municipality of Limeira, São Paulo, on Saturday while participating in a guided bungee jump excursion.
The tragedy is now the subject of a criminal investigation that has already led to multiple arrests.
According to Brazilian outlets G1 and Folha de Pernambuco, video shared on social media shows de Freitas wearing a helmet as staff members carry her toward the edge of the bridge and release her.
Seconds later, a witness filming the incident points toward a rope that appears to have been left on the bridge.
Scroll to continue reading
“Guys, the rope!” the witness can be heard shouting in the footage.
That chilling moment has become the focal point of an investigation into whether basic safety procedures were followed before the jump.
Fatal Fall Sparks Investigation
Witnesses told Brazil’s Military Police that de Freitas was thrown from the bridge without a safety rope attached, according to G1.
Investigators cited by Brazilian media said the 21-year-old fell about 40 meters, or 131 feet.
Emergency responders, including a police helicopter, were dispatched to the scene, but de Freitas died before she could be rescued.
The physical education and sports management graduate had reportedly purchased a guided tour package that included the jump from the disused bridge.
A Life Cut Short
Hours before the fatal incident, de Freitas reportedly joked about the experience on social media.
“Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?” she allegedly wrote on Instagram Stories, according to O Globo.
The post has since taken on a heartbreaking significance following her death.
Reports indicate her fiancé became ill after arriving at the scene and required treatment at an emergency room.
Her social media accounts were later removed.
Six People Questioned
Authorities have moved quickly to determine who may be responsible.
A representative for the São Paulo government confirmed to PEOPLE that six individuals were brought in for questioning following the incident.
Three men, ages 27, 32 and 42, were arrested at the scene and charged with homicide with implied malice.
Delegate Andrea Dantas Levy told G1 that investigators believe the operation lacked proper authorization and oversight.
“It was a team there that wasn’t regulated; they didn’t even have authorization to be there,” Levy said.
The investigator alleged that organizers failed to verify that the rope had been properly secured before the jump.
“They ended up organizing this event, and this fatality happened today, in my perception, due to a failure to verify and supervise the placement of the rope on the victim’s jump,” Levy told the outlet.
Questions About Safety Oversight
Defense attorneys for the accused men told G1 that their clients were experienced operators and that this was the first fatality involving the company in years.
The incident has also raised broader concerns about safety and access control at the bridge.
According to reports, the Limeira City Council plans to file a complaint against Brazil’s federal government following the tragedy.
“It is necessary to determine responsibility for the lack of access control to a federal area that has presented known risks for years and still lacks the necessary protection measures,” Mayor Murilo Félix said, according to The Mirror U.K.
Brazil’s Civil Police continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding de Freitas’ death.
The case has drawn widespread attention across Brazil and beyond, with many focusing on the disturbing allegation that a young woman may have been sent over the edge of a bridge before a critical safety check was completed.
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Knicks NBA Finals Celebration Turns Chaotic – At Least 63 Arrested + Multiple Stabbings Reported | WATCH
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
