Hiker Plunges 100 Feet at Brazilian Beauty Spot

​A tragic misstep during a weekend excursion has claimed the life of a 59-year-old hiker, who fell 100 feet to her death at a popular trail in Maricá, Brazil.

​Rosemary Suzart Garcia, a resident of Rio de Janeiro, was trekking with a large organized group at the scenic Grutas do Spar on Sunday, June 14. According to eyewitness accounts and local media reports, the fatal accident occurred when Garcia stepped onto a short, narrow path near an overlook. While momentarily balancing on one leg to apply insect repellent, she lost her footing on the steep terrain.

​The group’s hiking guide made a desperate, life-threatening attempt to save her as she began to slip over the precipice.

​”The guide tried to hold her and almost fell too,” said eyewitness Giovani Maximino. “He threw himself toward her but only managed to grab onto a root in the area.”

​Maximino noted that the entire incident unfolded within seconds. Despite the inherent dangers of the trail, Garcia was reportedly well-prepared for the trek, wearing a helmet, gloves, and standard protective safety gear at the time of the fall.

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​Firefighters were called to the scene and recovered Garcia’s body from the base of the cliff. Due to initial difficulties in reaching her next of kin, witnesses and authorities worked well into the night to notify her children, who reside in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deadly fall.

​A Weekend of Tragedy

​The hiking fatality capped off a devastating weekend for outdoor and extreme sports enthusiasts in Brazil. Just one day prior, on Saturday, June 13, a separate tragedy occurred in Limeira, São Paulo, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Maria Eduardo Rodrigues de Freitas.

​Rodrigues de Freitas plummeted 130 feet from the disused “Skeleton Bridge” during a bungee jumping excursion. Graphic footage circulating on social media captured the moment staff members carried her to the edge and launched her off the platform, completely failing to attach the vital bungee cord to her safety harness.

​Following the public outcry and initial police inquiries, six individuals have been arrested in connection with the bungee jumping negligence, including three staff members who were present at the scene.