Three instructors may face criminal charges after a tragic incident during a rope-jumping event led to the death of a 21-year-old woman in Brazil. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas died after being launched from a bridge without safety ropes attached. The incident occurred at an abandoned bridge located about 90 miles northwest of São Paulo.
Incident Details
Police investigator Andrea Levy revealed that the instructors admitted Rodrigues de Freitas was not secured with safety equipment. They reportedly failed to remember who was responsible for attaching the ropes or verifying their installation. The three instructors were arrested and could be charged with homicide under Brazilian law, which penalizes individuals who knowingly take risks that could lead to death.
The event took place at the Ponte do Esqueleto, known as the Skeleton Bridge. Reports indicate that Rodrigues de Freitas requested an “airplane style” jump, with instructors lifting her while she extended her arms. Video footage shows two helmeted men launching her from the bridge shortly before the fatal fall. Despite the instructors being harnessed and connected to safety lines, Rodrigues de Freitas fell approximately 130 feet.
Rope Jumping Explained
Rope jumping is an extreme sport where low-stretch climbing ropes transform a fall into a pendulum swing, contrasting with bungee jumping’s elastic vertical bounce. Rodrigues de Freitas had purchased a guided hiking trip featuring a rope jump at the abandoned bridge.
Investigation and Response
The City of Limeira, where Rodrigues de Freitas lived, offered condolences to her family. They are cooperating with authorities investigating the incident deemed a homicide by local police. Investigator Levy is assessing if the group conducting the jump was authorized to operate at the site.
Attorneys for the instructors stated that the incident was the first fatality during their activities. Authorities continue probing the safety oversight, focusing on who failed to ensure participant security. Rodrigues de Freitas was laid to rest the following day.