Horror as Instructors ‘Forgot’ to Attach Rope Before Throwing Jumper Off 130ft Bridge in São Paulo

Horror has gripped Brazil and the world after rope-jump instructors admitted they “forgot” to attach the safety rope before hurling 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas from a 130-foot abandoned bridge in São Paulo state.

Eduarda, a physical-education student from Jandira who aspired to become a PE teacher and had begun modelling, died on June 13 at the notorious Ponte do Esqueleto (Skeleton Bridge) in Limeira. The commercial operation run by Entre Cordas and Ih Voei charged thrill-seekers around R$180 per jump on the unregulated federal viaduct.

In chilling multi-angle footage viewed millions of times, three helmeted crew members carry Eduarda to the edge in a “Superman” pose. Helmet secured, she spreads her arms excitedly in the requested “airplane” pose. They launch her without hesitation. The safety rope remains coiled uselessly on the platform. Onlookers scream “Attach the cord!” seconds too late.

Eduarda struck the ground but was still alive. Off-duty nurse Rayza Dias reached her first and performed CPR, pleading, “Nobody dies on my shift.” She succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Hours earlier, Eduarda had posted a light-hearted Instagram story: “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge???” The caption now carries haunting significance.

Her mother, Valdenia Rodrigues, shared raw tributes after Sunday’s burial: she longed to hug her daughter “more than a thousand times” and declared, “That damned rope took you from me forever.” Friends remembered Eduarda’s vibrant spirit and love of adventure.

Brazilian police responded with urgency. Six people linked to the operators were arrested. When two suspects fled into nearby woods, officers deployed a helicopter for a dramatic aerial pursuit. During interrogation, investigators revealed the crew “can’t remember who should have attached the rope”—a stunning admission that has intensified public fury.

The three instructors now face homicide charges with dolus eventualis (eventual intent), alleging they foresaw the possibility of death yet accepted the lethal risk through gross negligence. The casual execution visible on camera—no checks, no confirmations—bolsters the prosecution.

This marks at least the third fatality at the unregulated site in recent years. The tragedy has exposed years of ignored warnings about illegal operations on federal property and renewed calls for a nationwide ban on unregulated extreme sports.

One basic safety step was never taken. Instructors simply “forgot” the rope. The world now watches to see whether Brazilian justice will deliver accountability matching the horror captured on film.