A 59-year-old woman has died after falling around 100 feet during a cave-rappelling excursion in Rio de Janeiro, just days after a young woman was thrown to her death without a safety rope at a separate Brazilian adventure site, raising fresh concerns about safety standards at the country’s extreme sports attractions.
Rosemary Suzart Garcia died on 14 June after falling from a cliff inside the Spar Cave complex in Marica, Rio de Janeiro, during a group activity involving around 15 participants. Witnesses said Garcia was fully equipped with a helmet, gloves and other protective gear as she moved along the steep trail towards the rappelling point. According to accounts given to police, the fall happened when she applied insect repellent while standing on the incline, lifting one leg and losing her footing on the slope. A guide nearby attempted to grab her but was unable to reach her in time due to the steep terrain, later telling investigators he had only managed to hold onto a root to avoid being pulled down himself.
Emergency services were called at 10.44am but Garcia was already dead when firefighters arrived at the base of the rocky area. Her body was taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine in São Gonçalo for formal identification and post-mortem procedures. Civil police have registered the case and a forensic examination was carried out at the site.
The Spar Cave complex, formed from an old mining site that was closed around 50 years ago, has become a popular tourist attraction known for its dramatic rock formations, a natural lake and a cave roughly 130 feet high used for rappelling. Local authorities confirmed the area is privately owned and falls within the boundaries of the Marica Municipal Wildlife Refuge, with officials stating that responsibility for authorising and overseeing rappelling activities at the site does not fall under the municipality given its private status.
The tragedy follows the death of Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, who was thrown 130 feet from Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, São Paulo, on Saturday without a safety rope attached. Three instructors — Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, and Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27 — have been charged with homicide with eventual intent after being tracked down by a military helicopter following attempts to flee the scene. Luis Felipe, who told police he earned around £26.50 per jump, said team members had no set responsibilities during jumps and that equipment checks were carried out “jointly.” When asked who was responsible for the final safety check before Maria’s jump, he reportedly told police: “I can’t remember.” Cintra gave officers the same answer.
