A Russian mother of two lost her life in a tragic accident after falling from a nearly 300-foot tower while attempting to take a celebratory selfie with her son.
Local reports identified the victim as 45-year-old Elizaveta Gushchina, who died during a rope-jumping event at an unfinished thermal power plant in Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg. She had been joined by her 22-year-old son, Nikita, for the extreme sport activity.
According to Russian outlet REN TV, Gushchina—an avid fan of adrenaline sports—successfully completed a bungee jump from the 289-foot chimney. But after returning to the top platform, she removed her safety harness to pose for a selfie with her son.
“She secured herself to a rope used for rope jumping, but did not set the required safe length. Then, approaching the edge, the woman slipped on a wet board, fell from a height, and died,” a source told REN TV.
The accident happened just one day after Gushchina’s 45th birthday. The jump itself was a birthday gift from her son.
Her extreme sports club confirmed the loss in a statement: “Yesterday, under tragic circumstances, experienced jumper and mother of two children Liza, passed away… Now the entire team is mourning this loss. This is a very big tragedy for us.”
Authorities are now investigating whether the rope-jumping site was operating within legal and safety standards.
