Friends in shock after Kiwi killed in bridge jump

A 23-year-old woman who died after jumping from a highway bridge in Canada had only left New Zealand last month to spend a year abroad with her partner.

Danni Hogan of New Plymouth died after jumping off the 20-metrehigh Bruhn Bridge into the water in Sicamous, British Columbia.

Hogan left for Canada with her partner Louis Aiello on a year-long trip late last month. A trainer at her former martial arts gym in New Plymouth said they were all in shock at her passing.

“It has hit the crew hard,” said Pina Simpson, who runs the New Plymouth branch of Southern Tribes Aotearoa. Some of his students had attended her and Aiello’s farewell two weeks ago.

“She was full of life, and an awesome young person with a beautiful smile.”

Hogan had trained in Brazilian jiujitsu and mixed martial arts with Simpson for about eight months.

“She was enthusiastic and picked up techniques pretty quick. She was never afraid to give things a go.”

The Salmon Arm Observer reported the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to the Bruhn Bridge over the Sicamous Channel in the Canadian Rockies at 2am Wednesday local time.

“The woman was one of four people to jump from the bridge, which is approximately 20 metres from the surface of the water. When she did not immediately resurface, other people present helped her to shore,” the newspaper reported.

“According to the RCMP release, the woman was transported to a local hospital and then to a larger hospital before she was pronounced dead.”

The New Zealand High Commission in Ottawa was reportedly in contact with local authorities about Hogan’s death.