A 21-year-old woman died after being pushed off a bridge during a bungee jumping event in Brazil on Saturday. She was not attached to a safety rope, and several people were arrested afterward. Now, videos reveal haunting words heard moments after she was thrown to her death.
The torrifying tragedy occurred in Limeria, São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, died after being pushed from a bridge during a bungee jumping event while not being attached to a safety rope.
She fell approximately 130 feet (around 40 meters) into a ravine during the event on the “Skeleton Bridge” in Limeira. According to reports, Maria Eduarda was carried onto the platform by two men before being pushed.
Disturbing footage circulating online reportedly shows bystanders screaming in panic. They realized she was not attached to any safety equipment.
Emergency services were called to rescue, but the 21-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. According to The Sun, witnesses told Military Police that the people responsible at the scene failed to secure her safety cord before the jump. Investigators are now examining this devastating oversight, according to local reports.
It has sparked a criminal investigation and left six people connected to the event in custody — five men and one woman.
Haunting 5 words heard after woman was thrown to her death in bungee jump tragedy
In the aftermath, some of the workers who were reportedly responsible for the horrifying tragedy reportedly fled the scene. However, police later located at least two individuals after a helicopter search of nearby woodland areas. They were arrested soon afterward at the Ponte do Esqueleto trail.
Maria’s fiancé was also present at the event. He was said to have been treated at the hospital after falling ill after hearing the news of her death.
Videos and pictures of the accident have spread online. The 21-year-old didn’t realize a safety rope had not been attached to her harness before they hurled her off the edge, as the rope was seen tangled on the ground. Seconds after the workers released her into the ravine, voices were heard in the background, shouting, “The rope, people, the rope,” according to The Sun.
One organizer, Luis Felipe, who said he earned around $34 per per jump, told local police that the team members didn’t have any set responsibilities during the jump. Moreover, equipment checks were carried out “jointly.”
He added that he couldn’t remember who was responsible for the final safety checks before Maria’s jump. Another suspect, Maicon Fernandes Cintra, who was caught, reportedly gave police the same answer.
Their lawyer, Rafael Gomes dos Santos, claimed, “They are in a state of shock.”
Rest in peace, Maria Eduarda.