Chinese acrobat who lost his wife in a terrible fall on stage was seriously injured in his second performance

() – A Chinese acrobat who lost his wife and performing partner in a horrific fall on stage last year was seriously injured at another show this week, state media reported.

Zhang Kai, 39, fell several meters onto a hard cement floor while performing an aerial silks routine on Monday night, after two pieces of cloth he was holding fell off the top of a crane.

The horrifying moment was captured by Zhang’s own livestream of his performance in Henan province on Douyin, TikTok’s sister app in China, according to state-run newspaper Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.

Zhang, who suffered facial injuries and leg fractures, was out of danger of death on Wednesday but remained in the intensive care unit, his family told Chengdu Business Daily, another state newspaper.

The late wife of Zhang, surnamed Sun, fell to her death during an aerial silks performance with her husband in a village in Anhui province in April 2023, sparking horror and protests on social media over the lack of action. safety for artists.

Video footage shows the two acrobats being lifted into position during an aerial silk performance in central China’s Anhui province, moments before the fatal fall.

Footage posted online shows the couple being lifted into the air by a crane on a large outdoor stage. As they swung in the air, Sun wrapped her arms around her husband’s head and clung to him during an act of transition. But he lost control and collapsed on the hard stage amidst the screams of the crowd. Zhang tried to catch her with his legs, but failed, the images show.

The tragedy caused a stir on Chinese social networks. Many users questioned why Sun was not wearing a seat belt and why there was no safety net or mat on the floor. Others called for stricter regulations for the acrobatic industry and better protection for performers.

A local government investigation into last year’s incident concluded that the company that organized the show had not obtained prior approval from authorities and failed to provide essential safety and emergency measures during the performance. The use of a crane in the performance was also a violation of the rules, the local government said.

The China Acrobats Association issued a statement at the time asking acrobatic groups and artists to pay more attention to safety measures.

In his Douyin biography, Zhang, a father of two, said that last year’s incident “took away the person I loved the most, leaving me alone to support the entire family.”

Before Monday’s performance, Zhang said in a video on Douyin that he accepted the gig to replace a friend who was supposed to perform but couldn’t make the show that night, calling it a “new challenge.”

“Maybe when you see this, like me, you will feel a mixture of sadness and indescribable emotion,” he said as he turned his phone to show the construction crane that was used to hang the performance fabrics. “Later I will use this account to show you live.”

On Douyin, many users wished Zhang a speedy recovery. Some urged him to look for another job to care for his children, citing the risks.

–’s Hassan Tayir contributed to this report.