NOW: A 27-year-old acrobat suffered an irreparable breakdown mid-performance at a circus in Germany — and when police checked her safety equipment, they discovered…

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27-Year-Old Trapeze Artist Dies in ‘Tragic’ Circus Accident After Fall in Front of Audience

The woman fell to her death during a circus performance in Germany on Saturday, Sept. 27, according to news reports

A police vehicle is parked in front of the Circus Paul Busch tent

Police car at Circus Paul Busch on Sept. 28.Credit : Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

  • A woman from Mallorca fell to her death during a trapeze performance at Circus Paul Busch in Bautzen, Germany, on Saturday, Sept. 27
  • Some audience members fled the circus tent amid the incident
  • The aerial acrobat, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene: “We have canceled this year’s tour due to this incident and need time to recover,” a circus spokesperson tells PEOPLE

A Spanish circus performer died after falling from a trapeze during a performance in Germany over the weekend, according to multiple news reports.

On Saturday, Sept. 27, the woman — identified only as Marina B. from Mallorca — had the spotlight on her as she took center stage at Circus Paul Busch in Bautzen in front of more 80 people, including children, according to German newspaper Bild.

She then fell around 16 feet from the trapeze during the performance.

The incident, around 5:45 p.m. local time, left audience members screaming, parents covering their children’s eyes and fleeing the tent, according to the outlet.

Marina was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The crisis response team was immediately deployed to assist both spectators and circus staff,” local police spokesperson Stefan Heiduck said, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

The circus tent of Circus Paul Busch stands on the Schützenplatz behind the box office
Circus tent of Circus Paul Busch on Sept. 28.Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty

After being evacuated from the tent, audience members were given support helplines following the incident.

“The police are currently classifying the incident as a workplace accident,” authorities told the Daily Bulletin. “There is no evidence of third-party fault, and it is unlikely there will be, as acrobats are usually responsible for setting up their own equipment.”

Marina was a former gymnast who began her circus career in 2018, according to the outlet.

Before her death, she had performed in circuses in Germany, Spain, Andorra and Poland.

A recent photo shared on her Instagram showed her doing the splits while hanging from the trapeze, while another captured her juggling on a tight rope.

Ralf Huppertz, CEO of the Association of German Circus Companies (VdCU), told Bild that the circumstances of Marina’s death seemed “unusual,” as she was a “well-trained artist.”

He added that every artist is responsible for the safety of their equipment.

Police officers enter the circus tent of Circus Paul Busch
Police officers at Circus Paul Busch.Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty

Heiduck, the police spokesperson, said that the aerial acrobat was not using a safety rope at the time of her death.

“She doesn’t have to. She decides for herself whether to use a safety rope. No one else was in the ring during the accident,” Heiduck said, according to Bild.

In a statement, a press officer for Circus Paul Busch tells PEOPLE, “Please understand that our management is currently very busy dealing with this terrible event. We have canceled this year’s tour due to this incident and need time to recover.”

The mayor of Bautzen, Karsten Vogt, also expressed his condolences following the tragedy.

“On behalf of the city, I extend my deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident,” he said, per the Daily Bulletin.

Bautzen Police Department and the Association of German Circus Companies (VdCU) did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Monday, Sept. 29.

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