A Russian sports jumper and mother of two was killed in a devastating accident last week after slipping and falling nearly 300 feet while trying to take a selfie following a bungee jump.
Authorities identified the woman as 32-year-old Elizaveta “Liza” Gushchina, an experienced jumper who was a well-known member of her local sports community. The accident took place in Pavlovsk, just outside St. Petersburg, on August 30, according to the Russian Investigative Committee.
Investigators said Gushchina had completed a jump from the chimney of an unfinished boiler house — a site that’s become popular for thrill-seekers — before climbing back up the structure to take a photograph. While attempting to capture the shot, she lost her footing and fell from a height of nearly 88 meters, or about 288 feet. The fall proved fatal.
Her sports group, 23BLOCK, confirmed her death in a statement on the Russian social networking site Vkontakte. “Under tragic circumstances, experienced jumper and mother of two children Liza passed away. Elizaveta Gushchina, together with her son Nikita, is a member of our sports team. Now the whole team is mourning this loss. This is a very big tragedy for us,” the group wrote.
The Investigative Committee has opened an inquiry into the incident, focusing on safety protocols and the circumstances surrounding the jump.
At the moment it’s not clear if the facility was up to standards with the current safety procedures.
For those who knew her, Gushchina wasn’t a reckless novice but someone deeply immersed in the sport. Friends described her as dedicated, careful, and proud to share her love of adrenaline with her teenage son, who often trained alongside her. That she died not during the jump itself but while trying to take a photo afterwards has only deepened the sense of shock in the close-knit extreme sports community.
The incident also reignites conversations about risk and image culture — how the pursuit of the perfect photo can sometimes push people into danger even after the main thrill is over. In Russia and elsewhere, a growing number of accidents have been linked to selfies taken in risky locations, often leading authorities to issue public warnings about the practice.
For her team and family, their loss is unimaginable. The investigation into Gushchina’s death remains ongoing.
