Bungee jump bridge will be blown up after woman plunges to death without rope

A bridge from which a young woman tragically fell to her death during a bungee jump accident is to be "blown up" to prevent future tragedies.

It came less than a week after Brazilian Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, was launched off the bridge to her death by instructors who had not realised her bungee cord was disconnected.

She fell from the Ponte do Esqueleto, known as Skeleton Bridge, in Limeira, Sao Paulo state, last Saturday.

The recent graduate was participating in a rope-jumping activity organised by a private company when staff failed to secure her to the elastic cord before launching her from the platform.

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Emergency services pronounced her dead at the scene after she sustained catastrophic injuries from the 130ft fall.

Demolition of the bridge began on Wednesday morning, according to the Daily Mail, following a plea from Maria's family to a politician who has campaigned against the use of the site for years.

Maria's uncle Luis wrote to local councillor Bruna Magalhaes, saying the family was "recovering our strength as best we can", and stressed the importance of the bridge's demolition.

Officials from the Sao Paulo state signed paperwork for the complete destruction of the Skeleton Bridge – part of a failed railroad project abandoned 30 years ago.

Wednesday morning saw the arrival of workers with heavy industrial equipment, blocking off the entrance as works commenced.

Councillor Magalhaes told reporters on Wednesday: "This will be done in three phases. The first is today as the earthmovers block it off and stopping anyone gaining access.

"Next, walls will be built to secure the barrier. Then the bridge will be blown up. I don't know exactly when because that will take a lot of planning due to its size. But hopefully this year."

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Approaching the bridge, the warning is ominously clear, with a sign in Portuguese reading: "Danger, risk of death."

Further makeshift safety measures included cloth fixed to the low parapet to stop ropes breaking as they go over the side, with a flimsy hook screwed into the concrete to tie a bungee cord to.

Following Maria's death, Ms Magalhaes raged about being ignored over the danger posed at the site, which was both a thrill-seeking disaster and a notorious suicide spot.

She said at the time: "This young lady here, to me, was a homicide. They threw this lady without a rope. This case is not going to be unpunished, these people will go to jail."

According to local outlet Rápido no Ar, some organisers fled the scene following the incident, with two suspects who escaped subsequently tracked down by a police helicopter searching a wooded area near the bridge.

The case has been referred to the 2nd Police District of Limeira, with Brazil's Civil Police having charged Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42 and Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, 27, with homicide with eventual intent.

They belonged to an activity group called Entre Cordas, wearing t-shirts with the branding Ih Voei.

Interrogation footage showed the three men, who appeared to be in a state of shock, fail to take sincere responsibility for the tragedy and seized up when questioned on the mysterious disappearance of Maria's GoPro camera – which would have captured the moment.

One adventurer who jumped from the same bridge that day claimed "standards" slipped as organisers tried to clear a backlog of jumpers.

A man, identified only as Emanuel, told Brazilian influencer Diego Schueng: "It had rained, there were delays and there were many people waiting to jump. In my perception as a participant, the organisation left a lot to be desired."

Maria's mother, Valdenia Rodrigues, wrote on Instagram: "My beloved daughter, today alone I wanted to hug you more than a thousand times.

"How much your departure hurts me. I love you eternally, my princess. And thank you so much for being a part of my life for these 21 years. What an honor it was to hear you call me mom. God, thank you for this privilege.

"That damn rope took you away from me forever."

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