Mother, 36, Killed By Speedboat Propeller After Jumping In Sea To Save Son

A mother has died after her arm was amputated by a speedboat’s propeller after she jumped into the sea to rescue her son, who had fallen in.

Businesswoman Deysivania Costa do Rego de Paula, 36, was fatally injured on a speedboat trip with her family on Lake Paranoa in the Brazilian capital Brasilia on 29th January.

She was visiting Brasilia with her husband and two children when they went on a boat trip on the lake and her son fell into the water while the operator was carrying out a manoeuvre to drop anchor.

Deysivania Costa do Rego de Paula (right) from Barreiras, Brazil, who died after being hit by a speedboat in Lake Paranoa in January 2022, in a photo with a child (left). You might consider blurring the photo of the child. (Newsflash)

After rescuing her son, she was hit by the boat’s propeller, amputating her right arm and causing severe injuries to her abdomen, according to the news site R7.

After around 15 minutes, the emergency services arrived on the scene by jet ski and the critically-injured woman was taken to the Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal (HBDF), where she died at around 2am on 31st January.

Her missing arm was only located later that morning.

Deysivania Costa do Rego de Paula (right) from Barreiras, Brazil, who died after being hit by a speedboat in Lake Paranoa in January 2022, in a photo with her partner (center) and child (right). You might consider blurring the photo of the child. (Newsflash)

According to reports, the speedboat belonged to the victim’s husband Sidiclei Paula, who had hired Bruno Lopes de Sousa, 25, to operate the vessel.

Lopes de Sousa was breathalysed by the Brazilian Navy and the result came back negative. The vessel’s documentation was also reviewed and found to be in order. However, due to the accident, an administrative inquiry was initiated by the Navy.

The victim’s funeral will take place in her home city of Barreiras in the north-eastern state of Bahia today (Tuesday, 1st February).

Deysivania Costa do Rego de Paula (right) from Barreiras, Brazil, who died after being hit by a speedboat in Lake Paranoa in January 2022, in a photo with her partner (left) and child (center). You might consider blurring the photo of the child. (Newsflash)

Her brother-in-law Sandro Santana de Paula said: “She was a cheerful and happy person. Unfortunately, it was an accident.”