A 21-year-old Brazilian student has died after falling about 40m (130ft) from a bridge during an unlicensed bungee jump in the state of São Paulo, after organisers allegedly failed to attach her safety cord. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was taking part in a jump from the so-called “Skeleton Bridge” near the city of Limeira on Saturday when the incident occurred, according to Brazilian media reports.
A video shared on social media appears to show Rodrigues de Freitas being pushed from the bridge before onlookers realise that her bungee cord had not been secured. In the footage, a witness can be heard shouting: “Guys, the rope!”
Rodrigues de Freitas, who was studying physical education and sports management, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said her fiancé witnessed the incident.
Hours before the jump, she had posted a message on Instagram joking about the activity. “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge???” she wrote.
Authorities arrested six people following the incident. Three members of the bungee jumping company have since been charged in connection with her death, according to local reports. Police said two suspects attempted to flee but were later located with the assistance of a helicopter.
JUST IN: 21-year-old dies after workers forget to attach safety rope and push her off 40-meter bridge in São Paulo’s Limeira, Brazil pic.twitter.com/ceqniPJkUs
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) June 13, 2026
In a message posted on Instagram, Rodrigues de Freitas’s mother, Valdenia Rodrigues, paid tribute to her daughter. “That damned rope took you away from me forever,” she wrote. “My beloved daughter, only today I wanted to hug you more than a thousand times. How it’s hurting me your departure.”
She added: “I love you forever, my princess. And thank you so much for being a part of my life during those 21 years. What an honor it was to hear you call me a mother. God, thank you for that privilege.”
The bridge where the incident occurred is known locally as “Skeleton Bridge”. Originally built for a railway project that was never completed, it has become a site for extreme sports activities despite concerns about safety and access controls.
The location was also the scene of a fatal accident in April 2024, when a 39-year-old cyclist died after falling from the structure.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Limeira Mayor Murilo Felix said questions remained about oversight of the site. “In addition to the circumstances that led to the young woman’s death, it is necessary to establish who is responsible for the lack of access control to a federal area which, for years, has posed known risks and is still without the necessary safety measures,” he said.
Felix added that local authorities had repeatedly called for action from the federal government. “We have been calling for action for months to ensure that the Federal Government assumes its responsibility. Unfortunately, its failure to act has just resulted in yet another tragedy in Limeira,” he said.
An investigation into the incident is continuing.