A 21-year-old tourist died after two rope-jumping instructors threw her from a high bridge without a safety line, sparking outrage in Brazil. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was buried in São Paulo state after the incident on Saturday at Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in Limeira often used by thrill-seekers.
According to footage shared online, two men in white helmets threw Freitas from a height of 40 meters (130 feet) without connecting her to any safety equipment. An onlooker can be heard shouting for them to attach her line. Both instructors were wearing harnesses already attached to safety ropes, but Freitas was not.
Freitas, who aspired to become a physical education teacher, had requested a "plane-style" jump where the instructors lift her onto their shoulders as she spreads her arms. They failed to follow safety procedures. Rope jumping differs from bungee jumping in that it uses a low-stretch climbing rope, creating a pendulum-like horizontal swing rather than the elastic bounce of bungee cord.
Brazilian police arrested three men working for the company that organized the jump in connection with her death. Authorities have opened an investigation that could lead to homicide charges.
