A female trapeze artist died in front of a crowd after performing a circus act. The 27-year-old woman fell to her death at Circus Paul Busch in Bautzen, Germany, on Saturday, September 27, according to PEOPLE.
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Trapeze Artist Falls To Death In Front Of Crowd During Circus Performance
The circus performer, identified as Marina B. from Mallorca, was in front of 80 people when she fell 16 feet from the trapeze, per German news outlet Bild. This was around 5:45 PM local time, and Marina was pronounced dead at the scene.
As soon as Marina fell, the audience was in shock. Some were screaming, while others fled from the tent. Bild reported that some parents had to cover their children’s eyes after witnessing the death.
Local police spokesperson Stefan Heiduck told the Majorca Daily Bulletin how the authorities responded. “The crisis response team was immediately deployed to assist both spectators and circus staff,” said Heiduck.
First responders gave audience members support helplines upon evacuating the circus tent. The authorities have since deemed the death a workplace accident.
“There is no evidence of third-party fault, and it is unlikely there will be, as acrobats are usually responsible for setting up their own equipment,” the authorities told the outlet.
Despite this, Ralf Huppertz, CEO of the Association of German Circus Companies, mentioned to Bild that the circumstances surrounding Marina’s death seemed “unusual.” This was mainly due to her being a “well-trained artist.”
27-Year-Old Circus Artist Identified
PEOPLE discovered Marina’s social media, which identified her full name as Marina Barceló. She shared many photos of her talents, many of which were her trapeze stunts.
In one of her posts, Marina could be seen doing the splits while balancing on a trapeze. “Up here, I work best,” she wrote in the caption.
According to the Daily Bulletin, Marina began her circus career in 2018 and was formerly a gymnast. Marina had previously performed in circuses in countries such as Spain, Andorra, Germany, and Poland.
Concerning the safety of the trapeze act, Heiduck reported that Marina wasn’t using a safety rope when she died. “She doesn’t have to. She decides for herself whether to use a safety rope,” said Heiduck. “No one else was in the ring during the accident.”
In response to the tragedy, a press officer for Circus Paul Busch gave a statement to PEOPLE. “Please understand that our management is currently very busy dealing with this terrible event,” they said. “We have canceled this year’s tour due to this incident and need time to recover.”
Karsten Vogt, the mayor of Bautzen, also mourned the trapeze artist’s death. “On behalf of the city, I extend my deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones,” he said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident.”