A tragic incident unfolded in Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil, when a 21-year-old model plunged to her death after being thrown from a bridge without a bungee cord. The victim, identified locally as Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, fell 130 feet at the popular bungee jumping spot known as Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned railway bridge.
Footage Captures Fatal Moment
Online footage shows the woman being hurled from the bridge in a 'Superman' pose, carried horizontally by her arms and legs. Workers appear unaware that she is not connected to the main rope. Horrified witnesses can be heard shouting, 'the rope people, the rope.' After she is thrown off, instructors look down as the camera pans to show the safety line still lying on the platform.
Emergency Response and Arrests
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene, but the model was pronounced dead on site. Brazilian media reported that two people attempted to flee into nearby woodland but were captured by a police helicopter. Six individuals were taken to Limeira’s 2nd Police District, with three men reportedly arrested at the scene.
Social Media Activity Before the Jump
Ms Rodrigues de Freitas had posted several updates on social media before the trip, expressing excitement about the jump and sharing pictures of the venue. 'Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?' she wrote alongside a photograph of an Entre Cordas banner. The jump appeared to involve bungee rope operator Entre Cordas and Ih Voei, a linked instructor brand.
Investigation Underway
Local media reports indicate that staff at the scene were wearing shirts bearing the names of both brands. Entre Cordas’s Instagram page, which advertised 'a jump to the extraordinary,' was reportedly taken down after the death. Police are investigating whether negligence led to Ms Rodrigues de Freitas’s death.
