Harrowing video captured the moment a Chinese acrobat plummeted 30 feet to her death while performing with her husband who failed to catch her.
The tragic fall occurred when the acrobat and her husband – identified in local media as Sun Moumou and Zhang Moumou, both 37 — were performing in the central Anhui province village of Hougao on Saturday.
After the couple is hoisted by a cable, Sun is seen standing on her husband’s feet and then grabbing onto his neck as her legs dangle.
In the next horrifying seconds, she loses her grip and Zhang fails to catch her, allowing her to plunge to the ground.
The acrobat was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The couple had been arguing and Sun allegedly refused to wear a safety line for the show, according to What’s on Weibo, which cited local reports.
Zhang later denied fighting with his wife, telling the Yangzi Evening News: “We were always happy together. There was no fight.”
Chinese acrobats Sun Moumou and Zhang Moumou reportedly performed without safety lines.
But he declined to provide further information about the incident, saying. “As I am in the middle of the process of dealing with all of this, I can’t disclose any specific details at this time.”
Authorities have vowed to conduct an in-depth investigation into the tragedy, which led to the cancellation of other performances, Global Times reported.
The Chinese outlet said the company that runs the show was fined about $7,000 for “holding commercial performances without approval” in 2021.
The wife and husband were reportedly experienced performers but often ditched safety lines “for the sake of looking good,” according to The Paper.
The weekend tragedy sparked widespread criticism online, with many people questioning why no adequate safety measures were in place, including a safety net and a soft pad on the ground.