Russian donkey used in parasailing stunt that shocked the world dies of heart attack in animal sanctuary

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

The Russian donkey whose brays of terror while parasailing won her worldwide sympathy has died.

The newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda said the 18-year-old female donkey, called Anapka, died of heart trouble after becoming ill in December.

Anapka had been sent up into the sky over a southern Russian beach in a promotional stunt, and the YouTube video of her trip made headlines around the world. The donkey was brought to Moscow in August.

Anapka spent her final months in animal sanctuary outside the city, where the newspaper said she lived in luxury, eating fresh fruit and vegetables, getting massages and even spending time in a solarium. The newspaper did not say when she died.

The animal was attached to a parachute over the Azov sea in a promotion stunt for parasailing. The donkey was braying and children were crying, but no one called the police, a police officer said.

No criminal charges were brought against the donkey's owners as no injuries were found on the animal after its ordeal.

The donkey's flight over the Azov sea drew the attention of The Sun, which said it had bought the donkey and would take it to London, although there were suggestions the tabloid had bought the wrong animal.