Brazil Bungee Jumping Tragedy: Woman Was Not Killed on Impact, Off-Duty Nurse Who Tried to Save Her Says
A 21-year-old woman, identified as Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, died on Saturday after a bungee jumping incident at Ponte do Esqueleto, known locally as Skeleton Bridge, in Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil. According to the account provided, she was participating in an adventure excursion when she was allegedly thrown from the bridge without her safety rope attached, causing her to fall about 131 feet. Video of the incident quickly spread online and drew widespread attention because of the shocking nature of the accident.
An eyewitness, nurse Rayza Dias, later described reaching the scene and climbing down a steep, muddy slope to help the victim. She said she was able to get to Maria while she was still alive and tried to comfort her until emergency responders arrived. Dias said she spoke to the woman during those final moments and attempted to reassure her before first responders took over.
Despite those efforts, Maria was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident has prompted an investigation, with authorities expected to examine how the safety failure occurred and whether proper procedures were followed by the workers involved in the jump. The case has raised concerns about supervision, equipment checks, and responsibility during adventure sports activities, especially when participants rely entirely on staff to secure life-saving safety gear.
The tragedy has also sparked strong public reaction because it appeared to involve a preventable error during an activity that is supposed to be carefully controlled. The bridge, the excursion operator, and the sequence of events leading to the fall are all likely to be central points in the investigation. As more details emerge, the case is being closely watched in Brazil and beyond.
