Warning
DEADLY PLUNGE
Horror moment girl, 13, clings to spinning fairground ride moments before being thrown to her death ‘after lock breaks’
A GIRL clung to a spinning fairground ride before being thrown to her death after a safety lock is believed to have broken.
Horror video shows the moment Britany Fernandez, 13, was flung into a metal bar when she slipped from her seat as her family watched.
4
4
4
The footage shows how moments into the ride the rusty lock on the safety bars which was holding Britany into her seat appeared to open.
She was seen clinging to the ride while the wheel spun around at high speed at a carnival in Santa Barbara, Honduras, on Sunday evening.
A sickening thud was then heard as the youngster's body slammed into the metal platform below and her head hit a railing.
Locals rushed to help her but she suffered a catastrophic blow to the head - believed to be from hitting the iron railing bar - and was declared dead shortly after arriving at hospital.
READ MORE WORLD NEWS
Hundreds of shocked school friends gathered for a memorial service before Britany's funeral on Tuesday.
Classmates paid tribute, saying she was “full of life, cheerful and intelligent”.
Friend Estefany Pineda added: "Britany was always calm, she had a very nice manner.
“She was always kind. This is so sad that it happened because she had so many dreams in life.”
Wilmer Reyes, the headmaster at the Juan Lindo Institute where Britany studied also paid tribute.
“Britany was a charismatic young girl, very humble. In the military marching band, she played the snare drum,” he said.
“We are really dismayed about what happened because she was very well loved at the school, which is shown by the more than 300 pupils who have accompanied her family in their devastating loss."
He also called for action to be taken against the fairground operators to improve safety.
"We ask that these kinds of fairground rides have greater security measures in order to prevent tragedies like this from happening again."
Local media reported that the fairground had been closed since the incident happened.
Officials launched an investigation into the tragedy but so far no arrests have been made.
Most read in News
The owners of the ride reportedly told local TV that they “have the operating permits” and blamed the girl's parents.
“The little girl went up unaccompanied by her parents and she fainted. It is not our fault, we have operating permits,” they said.
Cops have now passed the case to the country's Police Directorate of Investigations to gather evidence.
The department will then consider whether criminal action is necessary.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
Jesus Pineda from Santa Barbara Police said: “From the initial investigations, it was determined that Britany's death was accidental.
“The minor hit a platform on the ride, which instantly caused her death.”
4
Topics