Tandem Bunjee Jump Proves Fatal For French Woman; Boyfriend In Critical Condition

A tandem bunjee jump gone wrong in Audincthun, cost a 28-year-old French woman her life and placed her boyfriend in critical condition. The freak dangerous sport accident happened on June 30 at Domaine de la Carriere, a popular tourist destination in France.

The victim, Celine Desoutter, who fell from a 65-metre-high crane, was declared dead on the spot. Her male companion, 33-year-old Guillaume Nedelec, is undergoing treatment at Lille’s University College hospital, reports Elite Readers.

In that bunjee jump, the daredevil is supposed to fall down on an elasticated rope, stop about 15 metres above the ground and bounce up again. However, the crane bunjee’s fastening system failed and the couple hit the grass below at breakneck speed.

Domain, owned by Elastique X’trem, has been operating the crane for two years. Since then, about 11,000 people have jumped from it, reports Vertikal, a Web site about cranes.

Authorities are investigating if the failure was due to human error, equipment malfunction or both, said Prosecutor Sebastien Pieve. Vertikal said it is likely human error due to improper closure of the safety latch before the couple took their tragic plunge. It was the woman’s first bunjee jump. She left behind a six-year-old son.

The accident resulted in authorities ordering the closure of the park’s bunjee jump. Police arrested Mickael Laloy, general manager of Elastique, and a 21-year-old employee. The two would likely be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

According to Xtremesport, reasons behind injuries during a bunjee jump include safety harness failure, miscalculation of cord elasticity, improper connection of the cord to the jump platform and mishandled harness preparation. Injuries include the jumper being entangled by the cord, eye trauma, rope burn, uterine prolapse, dislocation, bruises, pinched fingers and back injury. But many people are willing to take those risk in exchange for the adrenaline kick from a bunjee jump.

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