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‘Human Cannonball’ Plunges to Death

Safety net fails in daredevil performance

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 26, 2011 2:19 AM CDT

(Newser) – A stunned audience watched helplessly as a "human cannonball" stuntman plunged to his death after being launched from a tube in a daredevil show in the English countryside. The 23-year-old performer was shot some 40 feet into the air before slamming head-first into a collapsed safety net intended to catch him. "The net is flat on the floor, not up in the air, and he is coming down head-first toward the ground," said a witness who watched the tragedy with his two young sons. "I saw him hit the floor and bounce." He suffered massive head and back injuries. Authorities are investigating, reports the BBC.

A human cannonball is propelled from a barrel seconds before he died after a safety net failed during a stunt at the Kent County Showground in Detling, southeastern England, yesterday.
A "human cannonball" is propelled from a barrel seconds before he died after a safety net failed during a stunt at the Kent County Showground in Detling, southeastern England, yesterday.   (AP Photo/PA, Rob Hutchinson)
A human cannonball enters a barrel moments before he died after a safety net collapsed during a stunt in southeastern England.
A "human cannonball" enters a barrel moments before he died after a safety net collapsed during a stunt in southeastern England.   (AP Photo/PA, Rob Hutchinson)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 19 comments
farrahsmiles
Apr 26, 2011 11:58 AM CDT
Murder, she wrote.
Deleted
Apr 26, 2011 9:16 AM CDT
I was a pilot for around 15 years. I had three rules. Checkout the plane. Checkout the plane. Checkout the plane. You would think if you were going to be shot out of a cannon, you would have checked out the net.
Just_Dave
Apr 26, 2011 8:18 AM CDT
In England net kill you.
 

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