Three Arrested After Woman Falls to Death During Unsecured Bridge Jump in São Paulo State
Police in Brazil have detained three men following the death of a 21-year-old woman who fell 40 metres from an abandoned bridge after instructors did not secure a safety rope.
A 21-year-old woman died after falling about 40 metres from the abandoned Ponte do Esqueleto bridge on the border of Limeira and Cordeirópolis in São Paulo state, Brazil. Video posted on social media shows two men in white helmets holding her by the arms and a third holding her feet before she was released. An onlooker can be heard urging the instructors to attach a safety cord, which was not done. Emergency services pronounced her dead at the scene.
Local authorities have arrested the three men involved and are investigating possible homicide with eventual intent, meaning they may be held responsible for assuming the risk of death. The men were wearing harnesses that appeared to be connected to a low-stretch climbing rope, a system that converts a fall into a horizontal swing rather than a vertical bounce.
The bridge, known locally as the "Skeleton Bridge," has been abandoned for years and is under federal jurisdiction. Brazil's Secretariat of Federal Assets said it is ready to assist investigators, while the Limeira City Hall announced plans to sue the federal government for inadequate management of the structure.