30.06.2015

Bungee jump goes wrong

A woman has died while her friend is seriously injured, following a failed bungee jump from a crane in France on Sunday.

The incident occurred near the town of Audincthun, close to St Omer in Northern France, the crane an aging - but seemingly well maintained - bottom slewing luffing tower crane, with a 70 metre hook height, is owned by the company Elastique X’trem and has been offering bungee jumps from the site - next to an old quarry -for the past two years, during which time around 11,000 people have jumped.
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The jump site with the tower crane in the background

On Sunday evening Céline Desoutter, 28, did a tandem jump with her friend Guillaume Nedelec, 33, and instead of stopping around 15 metres above the ground the two landed heavily on the grass below. Human error has been cited as the most likely cause, in that a safety latch was not properly closed before the two committed to the 65 metre jump.
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A closer look at the crane and the jump platform

The general manager of Elastique X’trem, Mickaël Laloy and a 21 year old employee were arrested and released on bail, and are likely to be charged with involuntary manslaughter. This was apparently Desoutter’s first bungee jump, having been keen to try it for some time. She leaves behind her son of six months.