Brazilian police have arrested three men after a bizarre and fatal bungee jumping accident. The 21-year-old victim, Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, suffered a fatal fall from a bridge in the city of Limeira on Saturday because her safety tether was simply not attached to her body. The organizers pass the responsibility on to each other.
Journalist at HLN
Shortly after the accident, three men aged 27, 32 and 42 were arrested. According to the police’s initial findings, the rope that should have slowed the fall remained entangled on the bridge. A witness who jumped just after the victim also stated that no safety check had been carried out. Shocking video footage shows the drama from the bridge.
“Tragic accident,” say those responsible
During their interrogation, the three men passed the buck to each other, according to Brazilian media. They stated that they did not remember who was responsible for attaching the safety cord. They also could not explain how the crucial security check could be skipped.
Their lawyer stated that the three men are experienced practitioners of the sport and have never been confronted with a similar incident before. According to the defense, it was a “tragic accident”.
No permission
The images of the accident show the three men wearing “Entre Cordas” T-shirts. According to the police, that name is not registered as an official company.
The group is said to have started organizing bungee jumps at various locations about a year ago. According to the authorities, they were not allowed to organize activities at the bridge where the accident took place last Saturday. Still, about a hundred people took part in the activity that day, including Maria Eduarda and her partner. The young man became unwell after the tragedy and had to be cared for by the emergency services.
Research continues
The investigation into the precise circumstances of the accident is still ongoing. Meanwhile, the city of Limeira has announced its intention to sue the federal government for negligence. According to the city council, requests have been made several times to better secure and maintain the area surrounding the bridge, but to no avail.