Brazil woman dies after rope-jumping instructors fail to attach cord

Three men have been arrested after instructors failed to attach a rope to her before helping her jump from a bridge. Brazil woman dies after rope-jumping instructors fail to attach cord Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. The "Skeleton Bridge" where people rope jump from in Ponte do Esqueleto, Brazil A landscape view of the abandoned bridge in Ponte do Esqueleto with fields surrounded the infastructure A woman has died in what appears to be a tragic extreme sports accident in Brazil. Three men have been arrested over the incident, in which instructors failed to attach a rope to her before helping her jump from a bridge in São Paulo state. Footage went viral over the weekend of Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas being carried to the edge of the abandoned bridge before being let go on Saturday. She fell 40m (130ft) and emergency services pronounced her dead at the scene. Police are now investigating whether the men are culpable of homicide with eventual intent - when someone does not have the direct intention but assumes the risk of killing - local news site Globo reports. Police are now investigating whether the men are culpable of homicide with eventual intent - when someone does not have the direct intention but assumes the risk of killing - local news site The incident happened in Ponte do Esqueleto, on the border of Limeira and Cordeirópolis, in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil. In the footage posted on social media, two men in white helmets can be seen holding Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, by her arms while a third is behind holding her feet. When she is cast off the bridge, an onlooker screams at the instructors to attach her cord. The three men were wearing harnesses that appear to be attached to a security rope. Rodrigues de Freitas was buried the following day. Rope-jumping is an extreme sport that differs from bungee jumping. It uses low-stretch climbing ropes that convert the fall into a horizontal, pendulum swing, while bungee jumping uses an elastic rubber cord that creates a vertical, bouncing effect. The bridge, called "Skeleton Bridge" has been abandoned for years and falls under responsibility of the federal government. Brazil's Secretariat of Federal Assets (SPU) said it was "available to assist the authorities in the investigations". The City Hall of Limeira (SP) announced it would sue the federal government for failing to adequately manage the bridge. It said it "had been adopting administrative measures and demanding action from the federal agencies responsible for the area". Rodrigues de Freitas' death "makes the continuation of this omission unsustainable and unacceptable", the statement continued. Local officials said the instructors had belonged to a private company that offered rope-jumping activities, though some local reports suggest they had belonged to informal groups of practitioners. A view of Sugar Loaf cable car at Guanabara Bay in November 2024. The steep rocky mountain can be seen against the blue of the bay. At the top of the mountain, the cable car station is visible. Cables connect it with Morro da Urca, from which the photo is taken. A cable car can be seen suspended halfway between the two. Brazil judge blocks Sugarloaf Mountain zipline A bus on its side, surrounded by emergency workers wearing orange outfits. Some have hats on. Bus carrying pilgrims overturns in Brazil killing 15 on board Plane surrounded by fire and smoke on an airport tarmac Watch: Flames and thick smoke surround plane in Brazil after fire breaks out Plane surrounded by fire and smoke on airport tarmac. The famous yellow and green of Brazil descended on New York to see their side take on Morocco in their World Cup opener. Vinicius Jr scores a wonder goal to rescue his side but Brazil's performance against Morocco raises more questions than answers. Vinicius Jr scores a spectacular solo goal to earn a draw for five-time winners Brazil against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The baby boy was rescued by police unharmed and reunited with his mother shortly after the ordeal. Bob lived in the São Paulo cemetery where his owner was buried for 10 years until his death in 2021. Brazilian officials say thieves held up a security guard and an elderly couple before making off with the artworks, including some by the famed French artist Henri Matisse. One of the alleged thieves has been arrested, authorities say, after he was identified using the city's extensive security camera system. Authorities are investigating the source of the tainted drinks, which have affected more than 200 people.