Police Warn of Kite String Danger After Motorcyclist’s Freak Death in Brazil

A Brazilian motorcyclist died in a freak roadway accident after a kite string coated in glass powder sliced his neck as he rode home from work.

According to an article g1 published, Wednesday, July 1, Cleuson Andrade Viana was riding his motorcycle on Avenida Santana in the Paraíso neighborhood of Santana, in the state of Amapá, around 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, when he was struck by a kite line coated in cerol — a mixture of glue and powdered glass or metal shavings.

The 39-year-old bricklayer died roughly half an hour later, per the report.

“My husband is an exceptional guy. A loving father, a caring father. He was my right-hand man for everything,” his wife, Lenice Moreira, said, per the translated report. “He left for work happy yesterday, came home for lunch, returned to work, but when he got back we couldn’t have him alive anymore. He won’t be just another statistic, because I think the competent authorities will take a stand against these markets that sell these lines, which are taking lives.”

Moreira also opened up about the toll the loss has taken on her family, revealing she has kept her own teenage son from flying kites because of the dangers involved. While kite flying is a beloved tradition in Brazil, some enthusiasts take part in competitive kite fighting, using the cerol coated strings to sever rivals’ lines.

“I have a 16-year-old son and I don’t let him fly kites because I know it’s not healthy. Other parents need to have the same attitude,” she said, according to the outlet. “Today, my children lost their father, my mother-in-law lost her son, my siblings lost their brother. We are experiencing a grief that hurts, wounds, and hurts everyone’s hearts.”

Viana’s mother, who was not identified by name in the report, echoed the call for accountability. “I want justice, because it was the life of a family man, a hardworking man, that took a piece of my heart, of my life. My son was everything to me. My son was my life,” she said, per g1.

Authorities are urging caution following the tragedy. Lieutenant Ângelo Silva of the Military Police of Amapá advised motorcyclists to wear high-collared shirts, always use helmets and install protective antennas on their vehicles, per the report. Silva noted that kite strings coated with cutting agents are illegal under Brazil’s penal code, though enforcement remains difficult without a dedicated municipal guard.

According to the article, the case remains under investigation by the Civil Police, who are working to identify those responsible.