World3 min(s) read
Published 12:42 15 Jun 2026 GMT
Comments made by staff members at a rope-jumping activity in Brazil have emerged after they allegedly failed to secure a woman's safety rope before launching her from a bridge.
Sadly, the 21-year-old woman was killed, reportedly as a result of the lack of preparation.
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, from Jandira, died on Saturday (June 13) at the popular Ponte do Esqueleto, also known as "Skeleton Bridge," in Limeira, São Paulo.
She was excited about the jump, having shared a number of posts on social media before going ahead with the extreme activity.
Video footage circulating online reveals two workers carrying de Freitas in a Superman position, before releasing her from the 40-meter bridge.
Soon, panic set in, as people could be heard exclaiming: "The rope, people, the rope!"
De Freitas suffered several fractures, say officials, as she was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
Following the tragic incident, instructors Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, were charged with homicide and implied malice.
All three remain in preventive detention, following a custody hearing on Sunday.
Unlike traditional bungee jumping, rope jumping uses a climbing-style rope to stop the fall, before swinging the individual in a pendulum-type fashion.
Witnesses at the scene said that the staff forgot to attach a rope to her harness, with six people being arrested, though three were released.
According to Brazilian outlet acidadeOn, three staff members spoke to police, as a legal representative called the situation a "sad fatality," stating that the staff had worked there for years with no history of accidents.
They told police in a statement that the staff did not know how the woman was thrown from the bridge without a safety rope.
Police even revealed that two men who had the job of preparing people for jumps claimed they didn't remember what happened in the moments before her death.
"They can't remember what the mistake was there, who should have put the rope in place, if there was no supervision. They can't remember," authorities stated.
They added: "They are completely bewildered by the situation because they have been doing this for a long time and nothing like this had ever happened before."
Police are still investigating, stating that a rope that was meant to be attached to Maria's harness was coiled on the floor.
On the other hand, staff said Maria was not the first jump worked on that day, while a third person claimed it was not up to them to put the rope on, as he was called to help the other two involved.
Investigators believe he should have seen that the rope wasn't fitted, with lead investigator Andréa Dantas explaining that "the rope is very visible," and "it would have been clear that it wasn't properly in place."
Results of forensic reports are yet to be released, as the investigation is ongoing.
