Jonathan Mendelsohn
In Suzhou, China, a 37-year-old acrobat only identified as Sun fell to her death after slipping from her husband’s legs while performing a trapeze stunt. The horrific event was filmed and shared on social media.
Videos by Rare
Sun and her husband Zhang were lifted over 32 feet above the air while holding on to ropes. Sun was holding onto her husband when she suddenly fell to her death. The event is currently being investigated by Chinese authorities.
Tragic Death of Acrobat in China
It has been reported that proper safety precautions were not taken during the stunt and that Sun was not wearing a harness when she was hoisted up into the air. One person commented on the video of the event via the Chinese social media site Weibo, writing, “Say no to performances that come at the expense of lives.”
People online want Anhui Yaxi Performing Art Media to be held responsible because they did not require Sun to wear a harness, but the company claimed that they did ask Sun to wear a harness, but the performer refused. It was previously reported that Sun and Zhang usually did not wear harnesses during their many performances.
Seasoned Japanese aerial artist Ayumi Mitanda spoke to VICE World News about how some trapeze artists choose to not wear harnesses, revealing that the safety harness may actually inhibit movement, making the stunt more dangerous. She also said, “I once was performing silk aerial and the silk that was attached to the ceiling of the stage broke. Aerial is a dangerous sport—the art requires that performers push themselves physically, which at times includes safety.”
Performers who participate in dangerous stunts sometimes succumb to the danger at hand. Just recently, an acrobat was seemingly severely injured after falling 20 feet during a performance at Coachella. In 2018, a Cirque du Soleil performer plummeted to his death while performing a complex stunt.
