A festive evening in Baja California Sur turned tragic this week when an 18-year-old woman plunged to the ground from an amusement park ride while it was in motion, triggering a criminal investigation and the replacement of the city's civil protection chief, local outlet Expreso reported.

Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco was riding an attraction called "El Péndulo" ("The Pendulum") at the Cabo San Lucas Traditional Fiestas when she was somehow ejected from her seat while the machine was running as onlookers stood nearby. 

Emergency personnel, including state investigators and municipal police, rushed to the scene to administer first aid to the young woman, the outlet reported.

TOURIST DANGLES 23 STORIES ABOVE STREET IN ‘RECKLESS’ DAREDEVIL STUNT

She was evacuated by ambulance to a local hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving, according to local reports.

"It is with deep sorrow that we announce that the young woman who was injured in the incident that occurred in the mechanical attractions area of the Cabo San Lucas Traditional Festivals, and who was immediately transferred for medical attention, lost her life despite the efforts of the health personnel," the Los Cabos city council said in a Spanish statement, according to a translation. 

The fatal accident has sparked administrative fallout. 

Local officials announced the removal of the head of the Municipal Directorate of Civil Protection and Risk Management, according to Mexican news outlets including Opinión Sonora.

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An interim director was installed to ensure that investigators have unfettered access to the department's files, safety protocols and operational permits, Expreso reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to the local mayor's office, Baja California Sur Public Security and the Los Cabos Transparency Office for additional details.

The Baja California Sur State Attorney General’s Office (PGJE) has launched a formal probe to determine liability, local outlets reported.

Forensic experts in engineering and architecture are currently examining the amusement park ride to verify if it met safety standards, Expreso reported.

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As of the middle of this week, authorities had not named the ride's operators or made any arrests.

In the immediate aftermath of the fall, Los Cabos Mayor Christian Agúndez ordered the total suspension of "El Péndulo" and mandated a preventative safety inspection of all other attractions at the fairground, the same outlet said.

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Speaking to a concert crowd at the festival later that same evening, Agúndez urged the community to rally around the grieving family. He pledged municipal support, local news sources reported.

"Today, with the same spirit with which we come together to celebrate, we must come together to support Gabriela's family. It could have been any one of us. You are not alone," the mayor of Los Cabos said.

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Rodríguez Tezoco was a 2026 high school graduate, according to reports. 

Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

O programa de 7 e 8 de novembro inclui descoberta de macroalgas na Praia do Castelejo. No sábado, há também uma oficina de fermentação e um almoço temático.

O conteúdo Rota das Algas regressa ao memmo Baleeira em Sagres com exploração do litoral e gastronomia aparece primeiro em Barlavento.

People can save as much as 10 percent on heating a year by turning the thermostat back 7-10 degrees for eight hours

© Getty Images/iStock

People can save as much as 10 percent on heating a year by turning the thermostat back 7-10 degrees for eight hours

© Getty Images/iStock

Neste sexto artigo, continuamos a acompanhar a história de uma mãe alienada que descreve o afastamento progressivo do filho, num contexto de conflito que identifica como alienação parental.

People can save as much as 10 percent on heating a year by turning the thermostat back 7-10 degrees for eight hours

© Getty Images/iStock

A spine-tingling rescue unfolded in New Zealand this week after a tourist's parachute became snagged on a luxury hotel, leaving the man dangling 23 stories above a busy street before his eventual arrest.

The tourist, a Belgian national, was attempting to BASE jump from the 27th floor of Auckland's Hotel Indigo when his parachute became caught on the building's exterior.

BASE jumping is an extreme sport that involves parachuting from fixed objects, including buildings, bridges and cliffs.

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The incident took place at around 10:42 p.m. Tuesday night, police said.

The 22-year-old man has since been charged and is scheduled to appear in Auckland District Court on Oct. 27, according to police.

The rescue came at a steep cost, with firefighters forced to smash a glass panel worth about $20,000 New Zealand dollars (about $11,400 USD) to reach the stranded tourist.

"Fire and Emergency New Zealand were able to free the man. However, the building suffered damage to the exterior, and guests staying at the hotel had their evening disrupted due to the event," Inspector Grae Anderson, the area commander of Auckland City, said in a press release.

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"In order to reach the man on the outside of the building, a glass panel worth approximately $20,000 had to be smashed."

Police reported that the tourist was not injured and did not require medical treatment.

Anderson said investigators believe the tourist was the same person who filmed himself BASE jumping from another Auckland building in September that was under construction. 

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"We do not condone this type of behavior," Anderson said. 

"It is reckless and poses risk[s] to the person jumping and those on the ground."

Inspector Anderson said he hopes this incident will make anyone else thinking of repeating these types of stunts reconsider.

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"In this case, the man not only needed rescuing, but paying guests [at] the hotel had their stay impacted, and expensive damage had to be caused to facilitate that rescue," Anderson said. 

"This is unacceptable, and, now, instead of leaving New Zealand and carrying on with his travel plans, he will stay here and face the consequences of his actions."

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Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, received roughly 2.3 million international visitor arrivals recorded at its airport in the year ending November 2025, according to a report from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, the region's economic development and tourism organization.

BASE jumping can involve jumping from natural formations, but the activity is generally prohibited in U.S. national parks without authorization, according to the National Park Service (NPS). 

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While there are no regulations specifically addressing BASE jumping, the activity is "generally prohibited by NPS regulations" but may be permitted after a park planning process, the agency said in a 2024 memorandum.