10 Photos of Rosemary Suzart Garcia: Brazilian Woman Dies in 100ft Fall Just Days After Bungee Tragedy

A 59-year-old woman has plummeted 100 feet to her death after losing her footing during a cliffside trek in Brazil, marking the second fatal adventure tourism disaster to shock the South American country.

Rosemary Suzart Garcia was navigating a steep trail leading to an abseiling descent at the popular Grutas do Spar attraction in Maricá when she suffered a freak loss of balance while applying insect repellent.

The tragedy has deepened anxieties over the safety and regulation of outdoor excursions, occurring immediately after a separate, highly publicised bungee jumping incident in São Paulo, where 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues De Freitas was launched off a bridge without a safety rope attached.

Tragic Hike Accident

The fatal accident occurred on Sunday morning, 14 June, as Garcia, a resident of Rio de Janeiro, participated in an organised outdoor activity alongside a group of 14 other trekkers.

The party was exploring the Spar Caves, an ecological tourist hotspot renowned for its jagged rock formations, natural lakes, and steep cliffs that regularly attract extreme sports enthusiasts for managed abseiling.

As reported by Brazilian outlet Globo, Garcia was equipped with standard safety gear, including protective gloves and a helmet, and was traversing a narrow path towards the primary anchor point of the cliff face when she paused on the loose terrain.

According to a witness, Garcia raised one leg to spray insect repellent onto her skin. However, as she shifted her weight, her supporting foot suddenly lost traction on the precipitous mountain trail, causing her to lose her balance and tumble backwards over the edge of the ravine. Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene from catastrophic impact injuries.

Guide Tried to Save Her

As reported by the New York Post, the group's guide witnessed the slip and made a desperate, high-stakes attempt to intercept Garcia's fall. The guide 'even threw himself towards her, but managed to grab onto a root in the area, thus avoiding falling,' eyewitness Giovani Maximino said.

Maximino, who watched the harrowing scene unfold, said the incident took place in a matter of seconds. 'The guide tried to hold her and nearly went over as well,' Maximino recalled, adding that Garcia had only just finished applying the spray when the ground gave way.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro has launched a formal investigation into the accident. Maximino also located Garcia's family and informed them of the tragic accident.

The Bungee Jump Tragedy

Garcia's death came after another fatal accident in Brazil that sparked national outrage. In São Paulo, De Freitas fell 131 feet to her death from the Ponte do Esqueleto, or Skeleton Bridge, during a bungee jump activity after staff reportedly failed to attach a critical safety rope before her jump.

Footage of the incident later spread widely online, appearing to show operators sending her from the platform without the safety cord secured.

The Civil Police subsequently arrested three staff members and charged them with homicide with eventual intent. Investigators said the employees admitted there was no clear procedure to verify who was responsible for checking the safety equipment before authorising the jump. De Freitas has since been laid to rest in the city of Jandira, in the Greater São Paulo.