Warning: This article contains discussion of mental health which some readers may find distressing
A teenager has tragically died in a parasailing accident after she apparently had a ‘panic attack’.
Last week on Wednesday (May 28), emergency services confirmed a woman on vacation in Montenegro died from falling from a great height after becoming freed from a safety harness while parasailing.
Here’s everything we know about the tragic incident.
Who was the teen who died parasailing?
Tijana Radonjic was a 19-year-old model and social media influencer from Novi Sad, Serbia, who built a following for her travel-inspired posts.
The young woman had been hired to film a promo video for a parasailing company in Montenegro (NewsX)
The young woman had been invited to the tourist hotspot in Budva, Montenegro, dubbed the ‘Hawaii of Motenegro’ to film a video in collaboration with the parasailing company to ‘boost business with tourists for the summer holiday season’.
She agreed to the free parasailing ride in exchange for the video content, reports Daily Mail.
Suspected ‘panic attack’
It is believed the teen had no prior experience of the sport and was tasked with soaring over the Budva Riviera on a parasail that was being towed by a speed boat.
Witnesses told local news media that the teen looked calm and relaxed when she was strapped into the safety harness, and the firm said she had been given adequate safety training.
However, harrowing footage appears to show the model suffering a panic attack while she was mid-air.
She could be seen frantically unbuckling her harness while being carried 50 meters in the air (NewsX)
Tijana could be seen frantically ripping off her life jacket, pulling on the cables and unbuckling her safety harness.
Horrified spectators from the sandy beach nearby are said to have heard her screaming: “Put me down! Put me down!”
Local outlet Republika also reported that others heard her shout: “Help me.”
How did the teen die?
The footage shows the model had removed her harness and jacket and could be seen trying to wriggle free of the leg straps while soaring more than 150 feet over the Adriatic Sea.
Moments after shouting for help, Tijana came loose from the canvas seat and could be seen toppling upside down.
She plunged head-first into the ocean some 150 feet below.
The teen’s family are disputing the claims that she intended to take her own life (NewsX)
The young woman’s lifeless body was then retrieved by paramedics, who took her to the marina before emergency services tragically declared she had died from the 50-metre fall.
What has the parasailing company said?
Mirko Krdzic, the owner of the parasailing company, said Tijana appeared ‘cheerful’ and ‘in a good mood’ before the set sail.
“She showed no fear of heights or flying,” he continued as per The Daily Mail. “Before we set off, she waved to her friends on the beach and they waved back. Everything seemed fine.
“We don’t know why she unbuckled her seat belt and harness and jumped out.
“I guess she didn’t do it consciously, but in a moment of uncontrollable fear.”
He added: “I am sorry for the death of the young girl. I hope to meet her parents to express my condolences in person.
“We are all in shock after the accident that happened.”
Tijana’s family and friends have paid tribute to the young model (NewsX)
The tour company has suggested perhaps she became afraid that something was wrong with the equipment, adding: “Maybe she wasn’t aware of the height she was flying at.
“I do not know exactly what happened. She did not show any fear of flying, she underwent training, after which the tragedy followed.
“Technical inspections of all the equipment are underway, and the results of the autopsy are awaited.”
What have the authorities said?
The circumstances of Tijana’s death is still under investigation, with local authorities saying suicide has not been ruled out.
However, Tijana’s heartbroken family are now disputing the claim that she caused her own death.
Her parents, Branka and Goran, also shared a heartbreaking post ahead of her funeral, writing: “We will never come to terms with this, nor accept that you are gone.
“You will remain in our hearts forever. Our bravest we love you endlessly and will be missed forever.
“Rest in peace and may the angels watch over you. Now you are one of them.”
Featured Image Credit: Newsflash
Topics: Mental Health, Social Media, Sport, Travel, World News
Liv Bridge
Shocking footage shows moment historic 600-year-old tower roof collapses in China
The ‘heartbreaking’ moment tiles cascaded off a Chinese tower ‘older than the USA’ was caught on camera.
A 600-year-old ancient tower in China partially collapsed with ‘heartbreaking’ footage prompting viewers to reflect how ‘truly amazing’ it was no one was reported injured.
On May 19 at around 6:30pm local time, the Fengyang Drum Tower – which has been stood as one of the largest towers in China since 1375 – sent tourists scattering when roof tiles began to come cascading down.
Located in Anhui province, around 200 miles from the capital of Beijing, footage of the incident shared to social media shows sections of the roof collapsing and narrowly missing onlookers.
Thankfully, Fengyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau released a statement as cited by local media which said no one was injured.
Tiles came cascading off the roof (YouTube/ CNN/ @SENYU/DOUYIN)
The history of the Fengyang Drum Tower
The tower was built in 1375 in the eighth year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the report by the Fengyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau continues.
The tower consists of two parts – a base and then the tower building on top.
The bureau notes the base ‘was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit in Anhui Province in 1989’.
However, it notes the original tower building was actually ‘destroyed in the third year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty, and the current building was built in 1995’.
And it’s not the first time some roof tiles have fallen from the building either.
Since 2017, the bureau reports ‘some’ tiles having fallen off and ‘eaves damaged’ in Gulou buildings.
So much so, a building maintenance project was launched in February 2023 as a result of the ‘worsening damage and safety hazards’ and the tower shut in September for an upgrade, which reportedly took around five months.
Video footage of the recent partial roof collapse, alongside eyewitness reports have since been released online.
Video footage and eyewitness reports of the Fengyang Drum Tower’s partial roof collapse
Videos taken around the time of the incident show the plumes of smoke and dust caused by roof tiles sliding off the tower.
One person near the historic monument and tourist attraction at the time of the incident told state-controlled newspaper Yangcheng Evening News the tiles fell for around ‘a minute or two’.
Another eyewitness confirmed to state media outlet The Beijing News ‘no one was injured,’ but reflected how ‘if it happened a little later’ there would’ve potentially been ‘many children playing [near the tower] after dinner’.
As one YouTuber noted: “I’d say it was truly amazing that none of the crowd upon which the debris fell were injured.”
“That tower is older the the USA. This is heartbreaking,” a Reddit user added.
An investigation is reportedly underway into what caused the roof to partially collapse.
Featured Image Credit: fennazaoxing/douyin
Topics: China, World News, Social Media, Viral, History
Poppy Bilderbeck
Everything we know so far after tourist submarine sinks leaving 6 people dead
The submarine was carrying tourists at the time of the devastating accident
A submarine thought to be carrying 45 tourists sank in the Red Sea earlier today, and here is everything we know so far about the disaster.
The ordeal has claimed the lives of six people, while 39 people have been rescued.
Making the situation event more heartbreaking, two of the six people said to have died are believed to be children.
Those onboard the vessel at the time were not all Egyptian nationals, it has been confirmed.
The city of Hurghada is a popular vacation destination (Getty Stock Image)
Where did the submarine tragedy happen?
A tourist submarine called the Sindbad sank off the coast of the popular holiday destination Hurghada, Egypt, around 10am local time.
The city is a major destination for divers, snorkelers and other tourists drawn by the Red Sea’s extensive coral reefs.
Those onboard the submarine are believed to have boarded as it was stationed in front of the marina of one of the famous hotels of the popular vacation spot.
The submarine runs one to three-hour tours, usually cruising at about 20-25 meters underwater with panoramic windows on the bottom to give views of the marine life, according to the website of the company that the Russian consulate identified as running the vessel, PA reports.
The submarine proceeded to sink less than a kilometer from the shore.
Sinbad Submarines operated the vessel that sank off the coast of Hurghada in Egypt (Instagram/@sindbadsubmarines_)
Who was onboard the submarine?
It’s believed that 46 people were onboard the vessel when it sank. This number included five Egyptians, as well as nationals from Russia, Norway, Sweden and India.
Elsewhere, the Russian consulate claimed that all passengers were from Russia.
Six people have died in the ordeal, two of whom are reportedly children. All of the deceased helmed from Russia.
39 people have been rescued, says BBC News, and no one has been reported missing. 29 of the 39 holidaymakers were taken to hospital to be treated to injuries.
The victims are yet to be publicly named.
The submarine sank less an 1km from the shore (Sindbad Submarines)
How did the submarine sink?
At the time of writing, it is unclear how the submersible sank.
It’s believed the weather was calm at the time of the incident, therefore it’s unlikely to have been a contributing factor.
A Telegram post from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia has suggested that the submarine hit a reef and lost pressure, but this is currently unconfirmed, the BBC reports.
Egyptian authorities are conducting investigations with crew members to determine the causes of the submarine sinking. It’s also been confirmed by the Red Sea Governor that the vessel, as well as its captain, had a valid licenses.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.
Featured Image Credit: Sinbad Submarines
Topics: World News, Travel
Chilling photo shows 18-year-old girl’s final moments just before she’s washed away to her death
The teen posed for a photo before she was taken away by waves
A chilling photograph shows the final moments of an 18-year-old girl before she’s washed away by the ocean to her death.
Merlin Septiana and her friends ventured to Semeti Beach in Central Lombok Regency, Indonesia, on December 19 when the day went from happy yo tragedy in a split second.
Each of the schoolgirls reportedly took turns to pose for a picture on the rocky cliff by the edge of the thrashing Indian Ocean.
The teen enjoyed the view before disaster struck (@rejekianakbaik/Twitter)
When the 18-year-old’s came, she posed for her snap and moments later, she had vanished beneath the waves.
In the image, the teen was seen wearing headphones, that may have blocked the sound of the sea crashing against the rocks.
The footage appears to show a wave had knocked Merlin from her precarious perch, and although she clung onto a boulder, seconds later she loses grip, slips and disappears into rough surf below.
A harrowing video also shows her friends and locals frantically trying to find the girl who could be heard shouting and screaming.
Rescue teams were quickly deployed along the shores in hopes of finding the girl, but it was too late.
Lalu Wahyu Efendi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, said the incident happened at around 3pm local time and efforts to rescue the girl with ‘makeshift tools’ like fishing rods were sadly ‘unsuccessful’.
Footage shows Merlin admiring the ocean before she died (@baiqrosdiani/TikTok)
Merlin’s lifeless body was sadly later found amongst the rocks just a little more than two hours later, at 5.13pm.
Her body has been sent home to her family in Tanak Awu village.
The girl’s friends have since paid tribute to her on TikTok and Instagram, and have posted footage of Merlin in the moments before she died.
In one clip, she appears to extend her arms out to the sea in a carefree moment of joy.
Ridwan Mak’ruf, chief executive of the Central Lombok Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said: “The girl’s body was collected by the search and rescue team, the BPBD, and the police. However, she was already dead.”
She posed with her arms open towards the waves (@baiqrosdiani/TikTok)
It isn’t the first time youngsters have been taken away by the unforgiving waves.
On October 13, a 20-year-old man from North Sumatra was washed away as he stood on the rocks at the Kedung Tumpang Beach in East Java.
The man, identified as Roni Josua Simanjuntak, had seemingly slipped into the water when waves crashed into the boulders and sent whitewater rushing inwards to where he was stood.
His body was found days later, on October 18, drifting off Karang Payung Beach.
The tragic news comes as Indonesia’s beaches continue to pose a threat, not only to swimmers but those taking in the beautiful scenery as huge crashing waves mixed with strong rip tides can snatch life away in an instant.
Featured Image Credit: ViralPress
Topics: Social Media, World News, Nature
Liv Bridge
Travel influencer falls to her death while filming a waterfall
Tributes to Aanvi Kamdar, 27, have been pouring in across social media.
A travel influencer has died after attempting to shoot content at a renowned Indian beauty spot.
On Tuesday (July 16), Aanvi Kamdar, 27, and her seven friends traveled to the Kumbhe Waterfall as part of a tourist group.
The popular area is situated in the Manjurne province in western India and is considered a tourist hotspot.
Social media star Aanvi Kamdar has died, aged 27. (Jam Press)
It’s been reported that Kamdar and her pals chose to visit the spot during monsoon season in the hopes of capturing its beauty for the star’s 308,000 Instagram followers.
Unfortunately while filming Reels, the self-styled ‘detective for travel’ slipped on some rocks and plunged 300 feet into the gorge below.
It’s said emergency services were quickly contacted and that representatives from the police and the Coast Guard arrived on the scene.
“As soon as we reached the spot, we realised that the girl has fallen nearly 300 to 350 feet,” said a first responder.
“Even after reaching her, it was difficult to get her up, as she was injured and it was raining heavily.
“So we decided to get her out using a vertical pulley.”
Another rescuer named Shantanu Kuveskar explained that it was initially difficult to spot the chartered accountant.
However, after locating her in the gorge below, six rescuers were deployed into the pit while another 50 assisted atop the hillock.
After falling into the gorge, the woman was stuck for six hours, according to The Times of India.
It took six hours for the woman to be transported to hospital. (Jam Press)
Kamdar is reported to have been responsive when authorities reached her and, after some effort, was transported to the Mangaon Taluka Government Hospital.
Unfortunately, she later died due to the severe nature of her injuries.
Following the social media star’s death, fans have come out in droves to pay their respects on Instagram.
Posting in the comments section of Kamdar’s last Reel, one user wrote: “This is heartbreaking. May God bless her soul.”
A second typed: “Still can’t believe this happened. Aanvi, from all your LinkedIn help to IG ideas – I’m going to miss it all. Will always remember your kindness and immense talent.”
“RIP, till the time you have been with us you have made us laugh, smile , live and educate. Thanks and really sad to hear her demise,” commented another dismayed fan.
Someone else posted: “Peace to her and power to her family and friends.”
“We understand how saddening this loss may feel for Aanvi’s family and friends. Grief can be so difficult to handle at times. More strength and peace,” said a fifth user.
Following Kamdar’s death, local officials have issued a warning to tourists.
They’ve asked visitors to mountainous areas to exercise caution and to be aware of their surroundings.
