Engaged couple die in bungee jump

by Standard Foreign News Desk
An engaged couple died in each other's arms when a bungee jump went tragically wrong.

University student Tiziana Accorra, 26, from Rome, and Alberto Galetti, 25, from Siena, were killed instantly after they plunged more than 300 feet from a bridge spanning a river gorge at an Italian beauty spot.

Police are today examining a video tape of the fatal jump. These are routinely recorded by staff to be presented as souvenirs to clients after their jump.

The tragedy happened late yesterday evening after the couple telephoned the owner of the site, at Polino near Terni in central Italy, which was closing early because of the May Day bank holiday. They urged him to stay open a few minutes longer.

The owner, Lorenzo Illuminati, said: "I had actually closed when they called. They begged me to stay open so I waited for them. They jumped off together in each other's arms and then this happened. It's terrible."

Today, Terni police spokesman, Lt Rovaldi Di Marco said: "I understand that Alberto was a serving paratrooper with a regiment based in Siena and so had done this before but we think it was Tiziana's first time at bungee jumping.

"The elastic cord did not break but we think the safety harness it was attached to came out of the bridge."

This morning police and a local magistrate were examining the bungee cord and the safety harness attached to the couple to establish how exactly the tragedy happened.

The bridge at Polino is about 60 miles north of Rome. It has been used by bungee jumpers for more than four years and the double fatality is the first there. The site had been packed during the day as dozens of people took advantage of the sunny bank holiday.

Mr Di Marco said: "The cord was found intact and before the couple a man of 90kg jumped off the bridge.

"At the moment the investigation is focusing on the safety harness that was being worn by the couple and the clips that secure it to the bridge."

When asked if the cord was strong enough to support two people he said: "From what I know it should have been able to cope with a combined weight of 2,000kg, so in theory it should have been OK.

"However that is one aspect we will be looking at as well as the safety clips that are harnessed into the structure of the bridge or maybe it was a human error - it is still too early to say."

The site has been closed pending a police investigation.

I've been thinking about making a jump.

Jump out of a plane. It is safer.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> Sad Story...

omg! That is one of the worst stories I have ever heard! ): That's so sad!

I would like to think that they had no clue that they even hit. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

Very sad. It may not be much of a consilation, but they died in a very beautiful place.

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