SOUTH AFRICA: Two Charged After Bungee Jump Death

Two people have been charged with manslaughter after the death of a former Cape Town student during a bungee jump in Spain.

Kleyo de Abreu, 23, died when she jumped off the Tablate Bridge and struck the side wall of a smaller, lower bridge below on July 21.

The incident happened near the mountain village of Lanjaron in Spain.

De Abreu, a British national, was a former 3D design student at CPUT. She was originally from London and had recently returned from living in Cape Town.

Spanish law enforcement, The Guardia Civil, has charged the owner of an adventure company and a bungee jump supervisor with her death.

An investigation found there was miscommunication between the supervisor and De Abreu, who jumped before the equipment had been made safe.

Her father, Bernard Atwell, has begun advocating for the changing of bungee jumping guidelines.

“I’ll just have to take my time and somehow make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. I will be getting a petition together and making a start towards addressing the laws that dictate the guidelines, or absence thereof, that lead to such tragedies.

“European law is the starting block and saving lives is its purpose. My daughter’s death will not be in vain,” he posted on social media.

Thomas Ngomana of bungee jumping operating company Face Adrenalin Sports, which manages the Bloukrans Bridge Bungy at Plettenberg Bay, said South Africa did not have bungee jump standard regulations, but there are steps that most operators follow.

On arrival, all jumpers are required to sign an indemnity form, are weighed and given a jump number. They put on a full body harness and the harness operator will explain the purpose and the jump process.

“An operator will then walk with the jumpers to the bridge, where they are briefed on how to jump and safety procedures,” Ngomana said.

The jumper then gets tied around the ankles and a second sling will come from the body harness to the ankle connection as a back-up.

“Two instructors will guide them to the jump platform where they’ll count them down. Once the jump is over we send a crew member on a winch cable to fetch the jumper,” he said.

He said those with high blood pressure, heart conditions, neurological disorders, epilepsy, acute or chronic knee or back disorders, conditions of the skeleton, muscles or nervous system – and those who are pregnant – are not allowed to jump or should bring a doctor’s note allowing them to jump.