Disturbing new details have emerged after a 21-year-old thrillseeker was thrown from a bridge to her death without a safety rope.

Chilling new footage has emerged of thrillseekers jumping at a notorious bridge in Brazil prior to the tragic death of a 21-year-old who was thrown off without a safety rope.

Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was unknowingly hurled to her death from the popular “Skeleton Bridge” rope jumping destination in Limeira, Sao Paulo, on Saturday in a stomach-churning blunder.

Ms de Freitas, a local from nearby Jandira, was seen being carried in a Superman pose by two workers, who tossed the young woman about 40 metres to the ground in front of horrified onlookers.

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Sickening viral footage showed the young woman plunging to the ground, with no idea that a safety rope had not been attached to her harness.

Seconds after the workers release Ms de Freitas into the air, voices can be heard in the background shouting, “The rope, people, the rope!”

She suffered multiple fractures and was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters and paramedics.

Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was thrown to her death. Picture: Supplied
Instructors ‘changed clothes’

Three instructors allegedly changed their clothes and fled the scene but were arrested a short time later at the Ponte do Esqueleto trail.

Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, are now facing charges of homicide with implied malice, Brazilian news outlet G1 reports.

They are being held in preventive detention following a custody hearing on Sunday.

Following the disturbing incident, footage of earlier jumps from the same site has circulated online. One clip shows another young woman being carried by two workers in the same Superman pose, safety rope clearly attached, and tossed over the edge.

“POV: Would you rather admit you’re wrong or be thrown off a bridge?” the video text reads. “ME: Say nothing more.”

Earlier video shows rope jumping at the bridge. Picture: @poptime/X
Informal groups

Unlike bungee jumping, which uses an elastic rope and causes the participant to bounce, rope jumping uses a climbing-style rope that stops the fall in a controlled way, swinging back and forth like a pendulum.

The staff in the images and video appear to be wearing T-shirts from the companies “Entre Cordas” and “Ih Voei”.

According to police, the brands are not official companies but instead belong to informal groups of rope jumping enthusiasts who began promoting events in various destinations about a year ago.

21yo dead after bridge jump staff forget rope

A 21-year-old woman has…

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After the tragedy, witnesses said the employees had forgotten to connect the safety equipment to Ms de Freitas prior to her jump, according to Brazil’s military police.

The group was charging 180 Brazilian real ($50) for people to jump from the bridge and had five other dates advertised for the coming months.

Adrenaline chasers were still able to book in for future events at Ponte do Esqueleto for July 11.

Other locations for the extreme sport included future events in Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.

Jumps from Rio Claro — another location close to Ponte do Esqueleto — were still being advertised for June 14 and July 12, for 210 Brazilian real ($59).

In the second spot, Minas Gerais, activities were still planned for July 18 and 19, costing 250 Brazilian real ($70).

Three instructors were arrested by Brazilian police. Picture: G1
‘Nobody ran’

When questioned by police, the three instructors appeared disoriented and were unable to explain why the rope was not connected to Ms de Freitas, G1 reports.

They could not remember whose responsibility it was to attach the rope, nor why a final inspection was not carried out, according to the officer in charge.

The trio have denied that they changed their clothes and tried to flee, saying they remained at the location.

“At the moment when one of the police officers stepped away to provide support for the rescue, including to signal a safe place for the patrol cars to park — considering the poor terrain conditions, with mud and the risk of getting stuck — the individuals in question fled towards a wooded area,” one of the officers was quoted as saying.

“Given the escape, support from other patrol cars and the aircraft was requested.”

Mr Egoroff said in his testimony to the court on Sunday that he took his clothes off “because they were wet”.

“My shirt was already wet … it was very dirty, I went to the car and put on a clean one,” he said.

“The rescue team arrived with the equipment and I got out and went up the trail. I went to the car, changed my shirt and went to the middle of the bridge. That’s when the police arrived with guns drawn and then it hit me. We’re here. Nobody ran.”

He insisted “everyone responsible stayed there”.

Mr Cintra also denied trying to flee and said he did not know why Ms de Freitas was not attached to the rope.

“Usually it’s [Mr Egoroff] who puts on the rope,” he said.

“In 99 per cent of cases … and I assist with the operation. I participate in the check, I call the person, I check the helmet. But in her case, I don’t remember. I don’t remember.”

A judge accused the trio of ‘gross negligence’. Picture: @poptime/X
‘Gross negligence’

Judge Paulo Henrique Stahlberg Natal of the Criminal Court of Limeira ordered the preventive detention of the three men, alleging that they attempted to flee and could hinder the investigation, Globo reports.

The judge cited five reasons for ordering the detention.

“The death of a young victim in avoidable circumstances … gross negligence in the execution of a high-risk commercial activity, characterised by the deliberate omission of indispensable safety equipment … the implicit premeditation in organising the activity without observing risk management protocols, revealing a conscious acceptance of the risk of death … the exploitation of the victim’s vulnerability, who trusted in the competence and responsibility of the organisers … the attempt to flee and change clothing after the event, demonstrating awareness of the illegality and intent to obstruct the investigation,” the judge said.

The judge added that the risk of repeated offences was real and that “their freedom could lead to the repetition of equally dangerous conduct”.

Sao Paulo police chief Andréa Dantas Levy told Globo the bridge had already been the site of “several tragedies”, including a cyclist who fell and died while taking a selfie, suicides and other failed bridge jumps.

But Mr Levy stressed that the circumstances of Ms de Freitas’ death were unprecedented.

The 21-year-old local often posted photos of outdoor activities. Picture: Supplied
‘Crazy person’

Ms de Freitas often posted photos of outdoor activities and nature to her social media.

She had a degree in physical education and sports management and supported the Santos Football Club.

Just hours before the tragic ordeal, she had excitedly posted about the upcoming jump on social media.

In a series of stories, Ms de Freitas revealed the location of the thrill-seeking activity and showed her identification bracelets for the jump.

She also took pictures of the company representatives who would later be responsible for her deadly jump.

In one chilling detail alongside a photo of the company banner “Entre Cordas”, she had written, “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?”

Ms de Freitas was seen holding a GoPro-style camera at the time of the jump, but police were unable to locate the device.

A young man who was with Ms de Freitas at the time, whose relationship to the victim has not been disclosed, reportedly became ill and needed to be hospitalised, Globo reports.

He is yet to be questioned by police.

Local authorities in Limeira have vowed legal action against the federal government, saying it has sole responsibility for inspection, maintenance and access to the bridge.

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“Since the beginning of 2025, the municipal administration had been adopting administrative measures and demanding action from the federal bodies responsible for the area,” Limeira city hall said in a statement to Globo.

“The tragedy this Saturday, which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old woman, makes the continuation of this omission unsustainable and unacceptable.”

— with The Sun