A young trapeze artist died after plummeting to the ground in front of horrified spectators during a daring circus performance, according to reports.
Marina B, 27, died immediately after she fell 16 feet to the floor Saturday night in front of almost 100 people during a solo performance at the Paul Busch Circus show in Bautzen, Germany, the Sun reported.
“We can’t believe what’s happened,” one circus employee told Germany’s Bild newspaper.
The horrific accident, which is still under investigation by local authorities, forced the well-known circus to cancel its subsequent shows.
Ralf Huppertz, chief of Germany’s circus association, believes Marina, of Spain, may have suffered a health problem.
“It’s unusual for a well-trained artist like Marina to not survive a fall from” that height, he told Bild.
“Perhaps she got dizzy on the trapeze,” he added.
While Marina was not using a safety rope, “she doesn’t have to,” police spokesman Stefan Heiduck stressed. “She decides for herself whether to use safety rope.”
No one else was in the ring at the time.
The Mallorca native had more than a decade of experience as a trapeze artist and was just recently booked with the Paul Busch Circus for its upcoming tour.
Just weeks ago, Marina shared a photo on Instagram of her performing on the tightrope.
“Up here, I work best,” she wrote in the caption. “I believe that art has the power to create unforgettable moments.”
