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| Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil performer dies | Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil performer dies |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A performer in the famous Cirque du Soleil has died after falling off a stage during a show in Las Vegas. | A performer in the famous Cirque du Soleil has died after falling off a stage during a show in Las Vegas. |
| Paris-born Sarah Guyard-Guillot was performing in the Ka show at the MGM Grand. | Paris-born Sarah Guyard-Guillot was performing in the Ka show at the MGM Grand. |
| The 31-year-old acrobat and mother of two was pronounced dead late on Saturday night in hospital after falling 50ft (15m) from the stage. | The 31-year-old acrobat and mother of two was pronounced dead late on Saturday night in hospital after falling 50ft (15m) from the stage. |
| Her death is believed to be the first fatality during a live performance in the show's 30-year history. | Her death is believed to be the first fatality during a live performance in the show's 30-year history. |
| Witness Dan Mosqueda told the Las Vegas Sun that Ms Guyard-Guillot was being hoisted up the side of the stage when it appeared that she slipped free of her safety wire and plummeted to an open pit below. | Witness Dan Mosqueda told the Las Vegas Sun that Ms Guyard-Guillot was being hoisted up the side of the stage when it appeared that she slipped free of her safety wire and plummeted to an open pit below. |
| "Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the [show]," he said. | |
| "But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage." | |
| The show was stopped and audience members told that refunds or vouchers to future shows would be offered. All performances of Ka have been cancelled until further notice. | The show was stopped and audience members told that refunds or vouchers to future shows would be offered. All performances of Ka have been cancelled until further notice. |
| Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte issued a statement on Sunday praising the performer, who has been with the original cast since 2006 and has worked as an acrobat for 20 years. | Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte issued a statement on Sunday praising the performer, who has been with the original cast since 2006 and has worked as an acrobat for 20 years. |
| "I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are reminded with great humility and respect how extraordinary our artists are each and every night," he said. | "I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are reminded with great humility and respect how extraordinary our artists are each and every night," he said. |
| The Ka show combines dance, acrobatics and performance art with pyrotechnics and complex aerial displays and is a resident show in Las Vegas. | |
| Millions of people around the world go to see touring and resident Cirque du Soleil shows every year. |