Terrifying moment model suffered whiplash when she was fired from giant catapult while filming a TV advert in Chile
- Maura Bellagamba was fastened between two trees, and then pulled by a jeep
- The gymnast was still injured despite wearing a helmet for the shoot
- Doctor tells model: 'If you hadn't been a gymnast, this would have ended badly'
- Chilean filmmaker said industry needed to improve its safety procedures
This is the shocking moment a model suffers whiplash when she is fired from a giant catapult during filming for a TV advert.
Chilean model Maura Bellagamba was attached to a giant piece of elastic, fastened between two trees, and then pulled backwards by a jeep.
Suddenly, and without her permission - according to the model - she was released and sent flying into the air at high speed.
Ms Bellagamba was left, still attached to the elastic, shooting backwards and forwards between the trees.
The model wore a crash helmet for the stunt but suffered whiplash injuries.
Maura Bellagamba said she was launched without her permission and sent flying into the air at high speed. She was attached to the elastic, shooting backwards and forwards between the trees
The model was wearing a helmet but was still injured. She showed the video to a doctor who told her: 'If you hadn't been a gymnast since you were little, clearly this would have ended very badly'
She has now shared a video of the incident on Instagram and Facebook.
Ms Bellagamba said: 'You can believe that I was the test doll, we were supposed to do a little test but they launched me without my consent.
'Finally they just called my boyfriend to pick me up... They didn't even have first aid, we had to pay the emergency clinic bill, thank God it was just a cervical neck collar for a few days. I thought I was going to die!'
Ms Bellagamba said: 'You can believe that I was the test doll, we were supposed to do a little test but they launched me without my consent'
Maura Bellagamba's day job is as a model, but the production company, Action Films, claimed that she was a professional athlete, not a normal model, and that the company had paid for all of her medical fees
Ms Bellagamba said she showed the video to a doctor who told her: 'If you hadn't been a gymnast since you were little, clearly this would have ended very badly.'
The production company, Action Films, insisted it had prepared properly for the stunt and that Ms Bellagamba had been checked over by a paramedic.
Model Maura Bellagamba said she was launched without her permission
It also claimed that she was a professional athlete, not a normal model, and that the company had paid for all of her medical fees.
There is no report of legal action over the incident which happened in July 2017 but has only just been shared on social media.
Jorge Grillo Soto, of Chilean film production company Grillofilms, came across the clip and wanted to share it more widely.
He said it highlighted the fact that the national film industry needed to improve its safety procedures although he stressed such incidents were an exception.
Mr Grillo Soto added: 'People who work in the film industry have to do it the right way or not do it at all.'
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