The not-that-much-safety net: Circus acrobats are sent flying when trampoline ‘explodes’ during trapeze act

Circus acrobats were sent flying when a trampoline spring seemingly exploded during a trapeze act.

Footage shows six acrobats from China’s Shanghai City Circus performing a flying trapeze act in which a performer jumps from one trapeze to another over a massive trampoline.

Meanwhile, five other performers can be seen standing on the trampoline below and waiting to join the act named ‘Time and Space Journey’ when one of the springs suddenly snaps.

All five acrobats are sent flying to the corners of the trampoline, with one even violently being thrown several feet down to the floor.

The show was quickly halted after the shocking accident and the audience was led out ten minutes early. 

Five performers can be seen standing straight up on the trampoline and waiting to join the act named ‘Time and Space Journey’ when one of the trampoline springs suddenly snaps

All five acrobats are sent flying to the corners of the trampolin, with one even being violently thrown several feet down to the hard floor (pictured bottom)

Circus staff later revealed that all performers, including the one who fell to the ground, were found to be in good condition after undergoing medical checks.

The trampoline underneath the trapeze act is supposed to act as a safety net, but this is not the first time it has failed to keep performers from crashing to the ground.

In April 2022, a trapeze star lost his grip and plunged more than 10 feet to the ground in front of a shocked audience.

Eduardo Elenilson Gama, 20, fractured his pelvis in the accident during a performance by Circo Puerto Rico in Caucaia, north-eastern Brazil.

Video filmed from the audience captures him hitting the floor with a sickening thud after missing the safety net. 

Footage shows the performer apparently struggling to make a turn, before he loses his grip. 

The audience gasp and scream as he crashes to the ground before three circus workers rush over to help him. He ended up having a fractured pelvis.

It seems even more dangerous for circus acrobats who perform their daring acts without a safety net underneath.

Last September, a 25-year-old trapeze artist fell 25 feet from the top of a ‘Wheel of Death’ circus act in Hungary but miraculously survived the terrifying incident amid screams from the crowd.

Raul Alexander survived after he flew off the spinning contraption during a performance in Hodmezovasarhely, southeast Hungary.

The drop was 25 feet, and miraculously, after an initial loss of consciousness, Mr Alexander came away with ‘no serious injuries’

Despite the accident, and trauma since, he has insisted that he intends to continue performing once fully recovered.  

Phone footage from an audience member shows the stunt starting as planned with two performers moving two connected wheels around in a circle, before Mr Alexander falls out to gasps from the crowd.

With no safety net to land on, he slammed onto the ground with and was unable to get back up while the audience screamed.

The young El Salvadorian reportedly lost consciousness after flying off the top of the 25-ft tall wheel.