Panic as Miss Universe Stumbles during festival parade

Miss Universe Fátima Bosch worried onlookers when she suddenly fell to her knees while riding a parade float this weekend.

On Sunday, Feb. 15, the 2025 international titleholder attended the Fruit and Flower Festival in Ambato, Ecuador. While standing and waving to the crowd on a florally inspired platform, Bosch appeared to try to hold a railing behind her before dropping down in her mint-colored gown.

In videos of the incident since reshared on social media, those watching can be heard gasping and crying out in response to her unexpected fall. A woman climbed up the float to assist Bosch, who remained conscious as she spoke to the person who came to her aid.

Bosch did not immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The Miss Universe Organization’s Head of Communications, Miguel Ángel Martínez, tells PEOPLE in a statement that Bosch “experienced a brief episode of lightheadedness after several hours of outdoor participation” during the festival parade.

“As a precaution, she was immediately assisted by her team and local medical personnel on site,” the statement continues. “She remained conscious, was evaluated promptly, and recovered quickly. Out of an abundance of care, her schedule was adjusted to allow for appropriate rest and hydration. She is feeling well and expressed her sincere appreciation for the warmth and hospitality she received in Ecuador.”

Martínez adds in the statement, “Fátima is currently on her official international Miss Universe World Tour, which includes cultural, humanitarian, and community engagements across multiple countries. At every stop, we work in close coordination with local organizers and medical teams to ensure the safety and well-being of our titleholders.”

He maintains that the “health and security” of Miss Universe delegates remains the organization’s highest priority.

Bosch represented Mexico at the Miss Universe contest last fall, and after three weeks of events and appearances, she was crowned winner on stage in Bangkok on Nov. 21. However, her participation in the prestigious, global pageant made headlines shortly after she and her fellow contestants arrived in Thailand.

At a pre-pageant event on Nov. 4 — which was livestreamed on Facebook by Miss Universe Thailand — pageant executive Nawat Itsaragrisil called out Bosch for allegedly refusing to partake in a photo shoot meant for contestants to share on their social media pages. He claimed that she wasn’t fulfilling her duty to “promote the host country.”

Despite Bosch denying the claims, Itsaragrisil continued to chastise her, prompting several other contestants to follow her out of the room as she left. 

Following her win, Bosch discussed her Miss Universe win during an appearance on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper on Dec. 4. When asked about the global reaction to the viral confrontation, Bosch insisted she was concentrating at the time so she “didn’t have the time to see what happened.”

People