Tragedy Strikes Again for Chinese Acrobat #

A Chinese acrobat suffered severe injuries in a performance accident, a year after losing his wife in a similar tragedy. Zhang Kai, 39, plunged several meters onto a cement ground during an aerial silks routine when the fabric he held broke loose from a crane.

Captured by his own livestream in Henan province, the accident left Zhang with facial injuries and leg fractures. He remains in intensive care, though out of life-threatening danger.

Last April, Zhang’s wife, Sun, died in Anhui province during a performance, igniting outrage over inadequate safety measures. Online footage showed the couple being raised by a crane when Sun slipped and fell. Despite Zhang’s attempt to catch her with his legs, she fell to the stage.

The incident prompted calls for stricter safety regulations in the acrobatic industry. An investigation revealed the hosting company failed to secure necessary approvals or provide essential safety measures. The use of a crane violated regulations.

On Douyin, Zhang shared, “Maybe when you guys see this, like me, you will feel a mix of sadness and an indescribable emotion,” expressing the difficulty of his circumstances after last year’s incident. Users expressed sympathy and urged him to consider another profession for his children’s sake.