A 37-year-old Chinese acrobat fell 30 feet to her death during a show Saturday after her husband and co-performer failed to catch her.
Local media reported that Sun Moumou and Zhang Moumou were performing in Hougao, a village in China’s Anhui province, after they had been arguing, according to What’s on Weibo. Sun allegedly refused to wear a safety line, which wasn’t unusual because they were paid more for riskier performances without safety belts. (RELATED: Acrobat Falls At Coachella During Live DJ Set)
A female acrobat fell on the stage during a performance and eventually died from the sustained injuries in E China’s Anhui on April 15, according to the local government statement released on April 16. #acrobat pic.twitter.com/o3oJUQJJJi
— The Tide (@TideNewsZJ) April 17, 2023
Her husband told Yangzi Evening News that they had not argued, according to What’s on Weibo. “We were always happy together,” he told Yangzi Evening News. “There was no fight. As I am in the middle of the process of dealing with all of this, I can’t disclose any specific details at this time.”
Video shows a cable hoisting the couple and Sun standing on her husband’s feet and grabbing his neck as her legs dangled. She then lost her grip, and Zhang failed to catch her. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Other performances were cancelled after the incident.
Public records show that in 2021, the company running the show was fined around $7,300 for “holding commercial performances without approval,” the Global Times reported.