- By Shivangi Sharma
- Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:55 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A parasailing tragedy has left the town of Budva, Montenegro, shaken after 19-year-old Serbian model Tijana Radonjic plunged nearly 50 metres to her death in a horrifying accident believed to have been triggered by a panic attack mid-flight.
Radonjic, a student and aspiring model from Novi Sad, Serbia, was hired on May 28 to participate in a promotional video for a parasailing company. The shoot required her to fly above the Budva Riviera clad in a bikini while being towed by a speedboat.
According to witnesses and footage from the scene, Radonjic appeared calm and cheerful before the flight. She waved at friends on the beach, posed for pictures, and showed no visible signs of distress.
Serbian TikToker, Tijana Radonjic, died this week while attempting to take a daring TikTok video by taking off her parasailing harness in a bikini 150ft above the water pic.twitter.com/Mpy3eQ48Y1
— Codey369 (@Codeym369) June 1, 2025
Panic Attack In The Air
But just minutes after liftoff, while soaring around 150 feet above the Adriatic Sea, she began exhibiting signs of extreme distress. Witnesses reported hearing her scream “put me down, put me down” repeatedly as she tried to undo her safety harness and life jacket. Horrified beachgoers watched as she removed her waist belt and attempted to wriggle free of the parasail harness. Moments later, she plunged into the sea from approximately 50 metres (around 165 feet).
Emergency responders quickly retrieved her body from the water and transported her to the marina, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Friends And Family In Mourning
The tragic incident has devastated Radonjic’s hometown of Novi Sad. Tributes have flooded social media, with friends remembering her as vibrant, free-spirited, and full of life. "She was always smiling and never cared what others thought of her,” one friend posted. Another added, “If I could choose who to spend my childhood with again, I would choose you.”
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what exactly caused Radonjic to unbuckle her harness mid-air. While suicide has not been ruled out, her loved ones strongly dispute that theory, insisting she would not have taken her own life.
Officials are also examining the role of panic, fear of equipment failure, or insufficient training in the incident. The tour company Budva MK, which organised the activity, stated she appeared calm and happy before takeoff.
“She showed no fear,” the company’s operator said. “She was smiling and seemed excited.”