Day after bungee horror, 100-foot fall claims another woman’s life in Brazil
Garcia was hiking with a group when she stepped onto a narrow path to apply insect repellent. As she lifted her leg to spray it, she reportedly lost her footing and plunged over the edge.
Despite wearing a helmet and gloves, Garcia's fall happened so suddenly that no one could prevent the tragedy, according to a friend who witnessed the accident.
Just a day after a 21-year-old bungee jumper was mistakenly pushed off a bridge without being attached to a cord, Brazil has been rocked by another tragic accident. Rosemary Suzart Garcia, 59, died after falling nearly 100 feet from a cliffside viewpoint at Grutas do Spar in Marica, near Rio de Janeiro, on Sunday, according to reports by Brazilian news outlet Globo and the New York Post.
Garcia was hiking with a group when she stepped onto a narrow path near an overlook to apply insect repellent. As she lifted her leg to spray it, she reportedly lost her footing and plunged over the edge.
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Giovani Maximino, a witness, said the guide made a desperate attempt to save her. “The guide tried to hold her and almost fell too,” he told Brazilian media. “He threw himself toward her but only managed to grab onto a root in the area.”
Although Garcia was wearing protective equipment, including a helmet and gloves, Maximino said the fall happened so quickly that there was little anyone could do.
El último domingo, Rosemary Suzart Garcia, de 59 años y experimentada en rapel, perdió la vida en Maricá (RJ) tras caer 25-30 metros en la “Gruta do Spar” mientras se aplicaba repelente sin tener la cuerda de seguridad colocada aún. Cuando llegaron los bomberos ya estaba sin… pic.twitter.com/vbD2uMDjMC
Firefighters later recovered her body that evening. Maximino said it took hours to reach her family. “I only managed to locate the children, who live in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, at almost two in the morning to give them the news,” he said to Brazilian media. “Until then, we had no contact with any family member.”
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
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The tragedy came a day after another fatal incident at Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, São Paulo. On Saturday, 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas fell 130 feet during a rope-jumping event after being sent off the bridge without her bungee cord attached.
Video from the scene shows staff escorting her to the edge while the rope remained unused on the platform. Six people linked to the event were arrested, and three organisers have been charged with homicide with implied malice.
Despite wearing a helmet and gloves, Garcia's fall happened so suddenly that no one could prevent the tragedy, according to a friend who witnessed the accident. 
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