Human cannonball in Santiago, Chile, breaks his legs after circus stunt goes wrong and he misses net

This is the painful moment a circus performer flew over a safety net and crash landed after being blasted from a human cannonball. 

Crowds of spectators gasped in horror as they watched Jaime Almarza Quezada, 40, fly through the air and land in the stands. 

The performer, known as ‘Hombre Bala’ (Bullet Man), broke his jaw and knees after the cannon operator fired him into the air with too much pressure.

The video was recorded at the American Circus in the Arauco Maipu shopping centre in the Chilean capital Santiago.

In the video, a circus ring can be seen complete with spotlight and a large crowd when a performer comes flying over the back curtain having been fired from a cannon.

The performer flies through the air but crashes to the floor in between two stands packed with spectators. 

He fractured his jaw and knees after crash landing in the stands in front of shocked spectators

The Bullet Man reportedly was rushed to a local hospital where he was treated for fractures to his jaw and knees.

The injured performer is reportedly still under observation but in a stable condition.

The operator of the cannon took the blame for the incident, telling local media: ‘It was a mistake on my part, my apologies especially to the audience.

The cannon operator took full blame for the accident, saying he made an error while setting the pressure

‘I did not disconnect the air-supply hose and the compressor made the air return from the accumulator which then raised the pressure causing a longer distance than what is always programmed.’

American Circus told reporters that their programmed shows will continue as planned.