A Brazilian father-of-three has died in a freak and horrifying accident after his neck was sliced by a razor-sharp fighter kite string while riding to visit his daughter.
Auriel Missael Henrique, 41, was traveling on a motorcycle with his wife through Duque de Caxias, a town in northern Rio de Janeiro, when the tragedy occurred on Tuesday, June 3.
The couple unknowingly drove into a nearly invisible string suspended across the road — a deadly filament coated in powdered glass and glue, known locally as linha chilena. Often used in kite-fighting, this reinforced thread is capable of cutting through flesh and even electrical wires.
As their motorcycle sped forward, the string caught Auriel around the neck, inflicting a severe and fatal injury. Bleeding heavily, he collapsed on the street. His wife and a passerby immediately attempted to stem the bleeding and rushed him to a hospital in Nova Iguaçu. Sadly, Auriel suffered a cardiac arrest en route and was pronounced dead before reaching medical care.
Henrique worked as both a motorcycle taxi driver and a cook. He is survived by his wife and three children, aged 21, 19, and six.
Kite fighting is a popular cultural pastime in Brazil, where participants use specially prepared strings to try and sever the lines of rival kites in mid-air battles. Though festive in origin, the practice has become increasingly dangerous due to the use of hazardous materials like glass and metal powder to enhance the cutting power of the string.
The deadly consequences of these modified kite lines have led to numerous injuries and fatalities across Brazil and beyond. In response, a bill currently under consideration in Brazil’s Congress proposes to ban the manufacture, sale, and use of these strings nationwide. If passed, violators could face one to three years in prison along with significant fines.
While linha chilena is already banned in several densely populated areas — including Rio de Janeiro — enforcement remains a challenge, and tragic incidents like Auriel’s continue to spark calls for stricter regulation.
