Woman dies after being pushed off bridge without safety cord in Brazil

A 21-year-old woman died in Brazil after falling approximately 40 meters (130 feet) from a bridge when rope jump instructors allegedly failed to attach her safety cord. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was participating in a rope jump activity on Saturday at Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in the municipality of Limeira, Sao Paulo state. Videos shared online show two instructors hoisting her above their shoulders and launching her into an abyss without securing her to any safety equipment, as an onlooker screams at them to attach the cord. The instructors were reportedly wearing harnesses attached to a security rope. Rope jumping uses low-stretch climbing ropes, differing from bungee jumping's elastic cords. Three men working for the company have been arrested, and an investigation is underway that could lead to murder charges. The location, known as 'Skeleton Bridge,' has a documented history of serious accidents, including previous fatalities. Rodrigues de Freitas, who aspired to be a physical education teacher, was buried on Sunday.