This is the heart stopping moment a circus acrobat dangled from a hoop by her neck before plunging 36ft to the ground.
Aerial acrobat Gabby Souza, 28, suffered a broken wrist and dislocated elbows after the mishap at Circus Rio in Adelaide, Australia on Tuesday.
The audience, including children, watched in horror as they heard a loud thud after Gabby lost her grip in the middle of a trapeze act.
Videos shared on social media capture the terrifying moment Gabby dangled on a ring suspended close to the roof of the Circus Rio big top before she plunges to the ground.
Some witnesses told 9 News that they were initially not sure if the plunge was part of the show but later realised it was a terrible accident.
Alice Young, who watched the show, said: "She had the ring behind her neck and the next thing she just went bang, to the ground.
"People came running, and then we were asked to leave."
The audience were soon told to exit the tent by some members of the staff with a mircophone.
The Brazilian performer was then rushed into surgery at Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she is now recovering from her injuries.
Circus Rio said in a statement that Gabby specialises in lyra, a form of aerial acrobats involving a hoop.
The statement read: "As a performer, Gabby is known for her professionalism and her drive to exceed expectations with a constantly evolving aerial lyra routine she is extremely proud to present.
"The traditional Brazilian circus performer has a long-standing global history in the industry and is a very strong artist in her field - with lyra being one of her many remarkable abilities."
It also stated that Gabby is 'okay and on the road to recovery'.
The circus was briefly closed on Wednesday for an inspection but reopened when all issues were deemed resolved.
