Chinese authorities are investigating the circumstances of the death of a Chinese acrobat who fell into the air while performing a routine with her husband on Saturday night.

Video of the incident in Hougao village in eastern Anhui province shows the couple being lifted high into the air with the help of a crane.

As they spin on their way up, the woman hangs onto the man with her hands behind his head.

The woman then appears to lose her grip and falls to the ground.

Clips of the video of the fall went viral across China over the weekend, according to What’s On Weibo. Spectators can be heard screaming as the woman falls.

A colleague of the acrobat told reporters that the woman was “still breathing weakly” after her fall. She was rushed to hospital where she later died from her injuries, reports said.

Immediately after, the show was interrupted, while the next ones that were scheduled were also cancelled.

Initial reports of the incident suggested the woman was arguing with her husband before the show and that she refused to wear a seat belt.

The husband later told the Yangzi Evening News that the accusations were false.

“We were always happy together,” she said. “There was no fight. I cannot reveal specific details at this time.”

The couple, both born in 1986, had a son and a daughter together.