LIMEIRA, Brazil — A devastating bungee jumping accident that claimed the life of 21-year-old university student Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was the result of multiple glaring safety failures and “pure negligence,” according to experts reviewing the shocking viral video.

Maria, an aspiring physical education teacher, died instantly after plunging nearly 130 feet from the abandoned Ponte do Esqueleto (Skeleton Bridge). She had requested a special “airplane-style” jump, in which she was lifted horizontally onto the shoulders of two instructors with her arms outstretched before being released.

In the widely circulated footage, Maria is clearly seen being thrown from the platform while her bungee cord remains coiled on the ground behind her, completely unattached. Horrified onlookers can be heard screaming “the rope! The rope!” as she fell.

Safety experts who have analyzed the video point to several obvious red flags, including unclear roles among staff, pressure to rush through a large backlog of customers after rain delays, and a complete lack of basic safety protocols such as double-checking the cord attachment.

One expert described the operation as exhibiting “pure negligence,” noting that fundamental safety steps were either ignored or nonexistent.

Three instructors — Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, and Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27 — have been arrested and charged with homicide. During questioning, they reportedly could not clearly explain who was responsible for attaching and verifying the safety equipment.

Maria had paid for the jump along with an additional 360-degree GoPro camera, which was in her hand when she was launched. A nurse who reached her after the fall found her still showing faint signs of life but could not save her.

The tragedy has sparked nationwide outrage in Brazil, with many demanding stricter regulations for adventure tourism, especially at unregulated or abandoned sites. The companies involved, including Entre Cordas and Lh Voei, face intense scrutiny as authorities investigate safety violations.

Maria’s fiancé, who witnessed the incident, was hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency from the trauma. She was buried in São Paulo shortly after the accident.

This heartbreaking case serves as a devastating example of how quickly thrill-seeking adventures can turn fatal when basic safety standards are disregarded. Investigations are ongoing.