Warning: This article may contain some distressing information.

A 21-year-old Brazilian woman tragically died after she was allegedly thrown from a bridge swing without being connected to a safety rope.

Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, was taking part in a thrill-seeking activity at Ponte do Esqueleto, also known as Skeleton Bridge, in Limeira, São Paulo, on Saturday (June 13) morning.

Disturbing footage shared online shows Maria being carried by two workers in a Superman-style pose before being launched from the bridge.

Moments later, voices can be heard shouting: "The rope, people, the rope," The Sun reported.

According to witnesses and information provided by Military Police, staff allegedly failed to connect the safety equipment to Maria's harness before she was released.

She fell more than 131 feet to the ground while horrified employees looked on.

Haunting social media post before tragedy

Just hours before the accident, the woman, who was from nearby Jandira, shared her excitement about the jump on social media.

In a series of posts, she documented her arrival at the attraction, shared pictures of her identification bracelets, and even posted images of company representatives involved in the event.

In one heartbreaking post alongside a photo of the company banner "Entre Cordas", she wrote: "Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?"

Maria held a degree in physical education and sports management and was a supporter of Santos Football Club, per News.com.au.

Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freita, 21, tragically fell more than 131ft to her death. Credit: Instagram

Emergency response and arrests

Firefighters, paramedics, and emergency responders rushed to the scene, but Maria was pronounced dead.

Her body was later transferred to the Legal Medical Institute as authorities launched an investigation, per The Mirror.

According to reports, her fiancé was also present at the bridge and required medical attention after becoming ill when he learned she had died.

Police have revealed that six people were arrested at the scene following the incident.

In addition to this, the Limeira City Council confirmed it will file a complaint against the Brazilian federal government.

"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," said Limeira mayor Murilo Félix.

Following Maria's death, future events at the same location were still being advertised online.

The company had been charging R$180 ($35.42) per jump and had upcoming dates listed for Ponte do Esqueleto, including an event scheduled for July 11.

Additional activities were also advertised in Rio Claro and Minas Gerais, with prices ranging from R$210 to R$250.

Featured image credit: Instagram

A woman in Florida has tragically passed away after the draw bridge she was walking on opened beneath her.

As reported by NBC News affiliate WPTV, the older woman - whose name has not been made public - was walking with her bicycle along the Royal Park Bridge on Sunday. However, she was unable to make it across safely after the bridge started to go up.

West Palm Beach police have stated that she was just 10 feet away from the end of the bridge when she fell to her death through a gap in the road.

An investigation is now underway.

Mike Jachles, a spokesperson for West Palm Beach police, said in a statement: "The woman tried to hang on. There was a bystander nearby who tried to help her, but tragically she fell five or six stories below where she died landing on concrete."

Jachles also spoke about the safety protocols that are in place on the manned bridge, adding:

"There is a bridge tender, and that bridge tender has certain safety protocols to follow, specific safety protocols [...] that includes lowering of the gates for the vehicles, lowering of the gates for the pedestrians, and making several visual confirmations that there is nobody at either of the spans or past those gates."

"The bridge tender actually comes out onto the catwalk, and walks around and does a visual inspection to make sure there are no cars or pedestrians or anyone else on the portion of the bridge on the inside of the gates that goes up." Jachles added.

Speaking to CNN affiliate WPBF, Jachles added that part of the investigation will "determine whether procedure was followed or whether this woman crossed after the signals were down."

Juan Orellana, an advocate for bicycle safety in the area, revealed that Royal Park Bridge is the most frequented bridge used by cyclists when crossing from Palm Beach Island to the mainland.

He also added that the bridge features alarms and barriers to help alert any pedestrians when the bridge is being prepared to rise.

"For one thing you will hear the bell even before the arms go down, so when you hear the bell you gotta get out of the way before the bridge goes up," Orellana said.

Speaking to WPTV, some residents have said that they have always felt safe on the bridge, while others did call for better signage to warn crossers.

Featured image credit: Patrick Lynch / Alamy

A British influencer has died after falling from Spain's highest bridge while attempting to film social media content.

The incident occurred early in the morning on October 13 when the man plunged from the 630ft Castilla-La Mancha Bridge, located in Talavera de la Reina, approximately 90 minutes southwest of Madrid.

Local authorities have confirmed the tragedy, emphasizing that access to the bridge is strictly prohibited, per the Daily Mail.

The unnamed 26-year-old influencer was attempting to climb the bridge when the incident occurred.

A spokesperson for Spain's National Police provided details of the incident, revealing that he was approximately 40 to 50 meters high, around a quarter of the bridge’s total height, when he fell. The cause of his fall remains unclear and will be investigated by the local court.

Both the deceased and a 24-year-old companion, who survived the incident, were climbing the bridge without safety harnesses or protective gear, according to sources close to the investigation.

The alarm was raised by a passing motorist who witnessed the tragedy.

The surviving companion was reported to be in a state of shock at the scene. A source said, via the Sun, that the male survivor was unable to speak at the time. They said he was still clearly shaken but is no longer at the police station and won’t be facing any criminal charges. It’s up to the local town hall to decide if he’ll face any penalties for doing something illegal, added the source.

Investigators are also considering whether recent heavy rains, which could have made the bridge's surfaces more slippery, played a role in the incident.

It is not yet known if the two British men had traveled to Spain specifically for this stunt. They had been using a rental car to get around the area. Spanish police have not disclosed further details regarding the deceased.

The Castilla-La Mancha Bridge has been the site of previous dangerous stunts, with local police reporting other cases of individuals climbing the structure to film for social media.

In one instance last year, two bloggers were reported for climbing the bridge without protection and posting the footage online.

Local councillor Macarena Muñoz confirmed the tragic incident and reiterated that climbing the bridge is strictly prohibited.

Featured image credit: Europa Press Sports/Getty

Tragic new details have emerged about the final moments of a young woman who died after falling from a Carnival cruise ship off the California coast earlier this week.

The 24-year-old, who has been identified as Briana Miller, reportedly fell to her death from the balcony of her stateroom on board the Carnival Firenze on Monday morning (April 27).

According to a source close to the case who spoke to The California Post, Miller had been arguing with her family in the moments before she fell.

The FBI is said to be still investigating the incident.

What happened about the Carnival Firenze?

The Carnival Firenze had set sail from Long Beach on Sunday and was bound for Mexico when the incident occurred.

The ship can carry up to 4,126 guests and 1,425 crew members, and is around 1,061 feet long.

The source told The California Post that Miller jumped from her stateroom balcony before hitting the deck below.

A private investigator named Kelly Duhs, who happened to be on board the ship at the time, told the outlet that members of the ship's staff said the victim had been fighting with her family before her death.

"It's horrible," she said.

According to a law enforcement officer, Miller's body was transported off the ship on Monday and her family left the same day.

Credit: Carnival Cruise Line

The Carnival Cruise statement

Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed the death and says it's supporting the family.

Spokesperson Julie Leonardi told reporters that the victim had been travelling with her family, and that they were the ones who alerted the ship's crew to what had happened.

"As is customary following these kinds of incidents, law enforcement was on board while the ship was in Catalina Island on Monday to collect information," Leonardi said.

She added that the cruise line's 'Care Team' was with the family in the aftermath.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones," she said.

The FBI's response

The FBI confirmed it had boarded the Carnival Firenze when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday.

"The FBI responded to the ship when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday and is investigating an incident on board which resulted in death," FBI spokesperson Lourdes Arocho told The California Post.

"More specific details are not being provided at this time as the investigation is ongoing."

Miller's death is the second cruise-related death involving Carnival to make headlines in recent months.

Last November, 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead beneath a bed in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon.

Her death was later ruled as mechanical asphyxia, and her 16-year-old stepbrother was charged with homicide in connection with her death in February 2026.

If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available 24/7. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, you can call Samaritans on 116 123.