Brazilian woman dies after being thrown from unregulated bridge without safety rope

A 21-year-old Brazilian woman plunged to her death from the Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, São Paulo, on Saturday after being thrown by three men without a safety rope, according to an instructor who spoke to local media on Tuesday. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was filmed being hurled from the structure and falling 30 metres into the void, footage that has since circulated online and prompted ethical concerns from press regulators. The incident occurred moments after another woman declined to take a bungee jump, the instructor told the *Daily Mail* .

Brazilian police have not confirmed whether criminal charges will be filed, but the case has drawn immediate scrutiny over safety protocols at the attraction. The Skeleton Bridge, a popular but controversial site in Limeira, has been the subject of prior warnings about its lack of regulation. Authorities in São Paulo confirmed on Monday that a preliminary investigation into the fall is underway, with forensic teams examining the scene and reviewing witness statements.

The video of the incident, which shows de Freitas screaming as she is pushed from the bridge, has been widely shared on social media and embedded in news reports without prior warning. Austria’s *Krone.at* triggered automatic playback of the footage upon article load, prompting the Austrian Press Council to intervene over concerns about graphic content and user protection . The council has requested an urgent review of editorial guidelines for such material.

Local officials in Limeira have distanced themselves from the attraction, stating that the Skeleton Bridge operates as a private venture with no municipal oversight. “This is not a city-run activity,” a spokesperson for the mayor’s office said on Monday. “We have no record of safety inspections or permits for this structure.” The bridge’s operators have not responded to requests for comment.

The tragedy adds to a series of high-profile accidents involving extreme sports in Brazil, where adventure tourism has expanded rapidly in recent years. In 2024, a German tourist died after falling from a zip line in Rio de Janeiro, prompting calls for national safety standards. De Freitas’ death comes just days after two college students were swept out to sea while napping on a notoriously dangerous stretch of beach in Santa Cruz County, California, marking the fifth rescue in a month along a one-mile coastal area .

Relatives of de Freitas have declined to speak publicly, but friends described her as an adventurous but cautious young woman who had expressed reservations about the jump moments before the incident. The instructor, who asked not to be named, told reporters that de Freitas had hesitated at the platform before being pushed by the three men, who were later identified as staff at the attraction. Police have not disclosed whether any of the men have been detained.