An experienced climber has died after plummeting 260ft down a rock face.
Igor Andreoni Barbabella de Oliveira was climbing with his partner when tragedy struck.
The couple had been scaling the prominent Morro da Ponta Aguda rocky formation near the city of Itatim, Brazil, when Igor fell to his death on Tuesday (28 Apr).
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The 40-year-old plunged around 260ft (80m) in front of his horrified partner Luiza Nercessian.
They were climbing a technically-challenging part of the vertical rock face when Igor lost his balance.
His partner reportedly heard him shout “grab me, grab me” moments before he fell.
She felt no jolt on her belay device, indicating that the rope may have detached from the rock or snapped.
This failure caused the safety ropes to detach completely from the rock, leaving the veteran climber with no secondary protection as he plummeted to the base.
Emergency services arrived quickly in the remote rocky area, but Igor was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was recovered and transferred for forensic examination.
A police spokesperson said there is no indication of criminal involvement and expert analysis will determine the exact circumstances, including any potential equipment failure.
The Itatim Climbers Association said Luiza was receiving support and assistance with necessary procedures.
She admitted that she is “still not quite processing” what happened.
Morro de Ponta Aguda is a well-known destination that attracts climbers from across Brazil, as reported by Need To Know.
Igor had practised mountaineering for about 10 years and regularly shared videos of his outdoor adventures and safety tips on Instagram for his 16,000 followers.
Friends described him as a “good-hearted” person who died doing what he loved.
The investigation continues, with full findings from the technical examination still pending.
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