Posted on 04/17/2023 8:16:39 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The woman, surnamed Sun, fell during a flying-trapeze performance in the city of Suzhou in central Anhui province.
Footage shared online shows the gymnast falling on to a hard stage after a routine went wrong with her acrobatic partner, who is also her husband.
She was taken to hospital where efforts by doctors to save her life failed. The popular news website The Paper reported that she leaves behind two children.
Officials say an investigation is under way into the incident.
According to The Paper, Ms Sun and her husband, surnamed Zhang, had worked together for many years and had often performed without safety belts "for the sake of looking good".
The footage has horrified people in China, and although social media users in the country have acknowledged that acrobatics carry a high level of risk, they have also voiced their concerns about the industry's lax safety measures.
The Paper shared archive footage of the couple, who are often seen performing stunts at high altitudes and simply relying on each other's strength for survival.
It says that the decision not to use safety belts spanned from working in a "highly competitive" industry, with them earning "relatively more money" by performing riskier acts.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
“ Ms Sun and her husband,”….Mrs?
I remember once we went to a circus while on vacation and sat in the first row. At one point they had a rhinoceros running in circles in front of us. Afterwards I told my wife let’s never sit in the first row again. You never know what will charge over you (or fall on you).
Sad when people die trying to make money by impressing onlookers by their physical skills and death avoiding actions. The linked article has links to other reports about aerial performers dying...
It appeared to me that she took her feet off of his and couldn’t hold on to his neck, or she just quit and let go. Strange.
I wonder if the crane operator knew what he was doing. It looks like he jerked it enough that the performers were shaken apart.
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