A Brazilian bungee jump team has admitted they were 'jointly' responsible for safety checks before a woman was fatally launched off a bridge without being clipped in. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, died after being thrown from Skeleton bridge in Limeira, Sao Paulo state. Video footage captured workers holding Maria and tossing her from the bridge, but a safety rope was not attached to her harness.
Surprisingly, the aspiring teacher did not die instantly. Nurse Rayza Dias, who attempted to rescue Maria, reported that she was still breathing and had a weak pulse. 'I even talked to her. I have a habit of joking and saying, “Nobody dies on my shift.” And I told her, “Duda, nobody dies on my shift,”' Dias said. Duda is a nickname for Eduarda in Portuguese.
Workers Attempted to Flee
Police stated that workers changed clothes and tried to flee after the incident but were arrested following a helicopter search. Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, were charged with homicide with implied malice. They reportedly told police they could not recall who was responsible for attaching the rope.
Joint Responsibility Claim
Luis Felipe, who earned about £26 per jump, claimed equipment checks were done 'jointly.' When questioned about final checks, he said, 'I can't remember.' Their lawyer, Rafael Gomes dos Santos, stated, 'They are in a state of shock. They cannot explain what happened because they have been doing this for years. Nothing like this has ever happened.'
Hours before her death, Maria shared social media posts expressing excitement for the jump. Brazilian MP Andrea Dantas Levy revealed that the company operating the bungee jumps lacked authorization to be at the bridge. The investigation is ongoing.
