Brazil: Authorities agree to demolish bridge after fatal rope jumping accident

A 21-year-old woman died after falling without ropes during a rope jumping activity from the "Esqueleto" bridge in Limeira, São Paulo. The incident has prompted a joint decision by the federal government and the municipalities of Limeira and Cordeirópolis to demolish the bridge.

Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was launched from the 40-meter-high bridge during the extreme sport. While neither the federal government nor the municipalities initially claimed responsibility, they later agreed on the necessity of imploding the bridge. The Ministry of Management and Innovation, responsible for the Secretariat of the Union's Patrimony (SPU) which administers the bridge, stated it would work with local authorities to inhibit access until a definitive solution for the structure.

The Ministry noted that the bridge belonged to a section of the former Federal Railway Network that was never implemented, located on private properties. The SPU had never authorized any sports or other activities there. Although the process to incorporate the bridge into the SPU's patrimony was only authorized for 2026, the SPU had requested municipal support since 2024 to block access. The bridge was temporarily blocked but later reopened following discussions and advocacy by local businessmen in the Limeira City Council.

Rope jumping, a sport involving a pendulum-like motion with non-elastic ropes, is not regulated in Brazil. This lack of regulation means there are no mandatory standards, protocols, or specific oversight. Marco Antônio de Campos, president of the Brazilian Association of Rope Jumping and Human Pendulum, described the activity as operating within a "regulatory vacuum."