WATCH: Cirque du Soleil performer plunges to his death

Cirque du Soleil confirmed yesterday that an experienced performer had died after plunging on to a stage during an aerial straps routine at a show in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday night.

https://youtu.be/O-a6QJJqxnI

Aerialist Yann Arnaud was performing his act in the show Volta when he appeared to lose his grip on the straps and fell heavily on to the stage floor.

Emergency procedures were immediately applied and the 38-year-old performance artist was rushed to the nearest hospital, but he later died of his injuries.

Arnaud had performed in Cirque shows for 15 years president and was one of the company’s most experienced entertainers CEO Daniel Lamarre said.  The aerial strap act was considered relatively safe.

Speaking from Tampa where he had flown to be with the show’s cast Lamarre told reporters: “I cannot describe to you how the people feel. It’s terrible.”

The death is the third fatality of a performer in the 34-year history of the company.

The show was cancelled after the tragedy, and some audience members have asked that their ticket refunds be donated to Arnaud’s family instead.

He was married with two children.

Before the show on Saturday night Arnaud shared his excitement, that his “straps duo act” was finally debuting, in a post on social.  “After so much work and training and staging our straps duo act is finally in the show,” he said.

Source: YouTube

– AFP