Circus snake trainer is strangled 'to death' by a constrictor during performance in front of horrified families WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Footage shows the man falling to his knees as the snake wraps tightly round him Circus staff come to his aid as the audience realises his collapse is not an act His fate remains uncertain as Russian police denied any knowledge of a death By Will Stewart for MailOnline Published: 15:47 BST, 3 May 2019 | Updated: 15:47 BST, 3 May 2019 Viewcomments A circus performer is feared dead after he was strangled by a large snake during a show in Russia. Shocking footage shows the man falling to his knees as the snake, described in media reports as a python or boa constrictor, wraps tightly around him. Circus workers eventually come to his aid and pull the snake away as the audience realise something is wrong but the performer was left lying on the ground. Some reports in Dagestan said the man had been killed but Russian authorities said they were not aware of a death, leaving his fate uncertain. Performance: The man prepares to show off his snake training skills at a circus believed to be in Dagestan, Russia In the video the man appears confident handling the snake but suddenly - and rapidly - falls to his knees and then flat on the ground. The audience at first take it as part of the act, but then the video shows him gesticulating several times with his right hand, seeming to signal for help. Within seconds, his arm movements get weaker and weaker. Suddenly there are gasps from the audience as they realise the performer is in grave trouble. Members of the circus team eventually come and pull the snake off him but by then the man appears seriously injured - or worse. Initial success: The performer shows off his skills by wrapping the snake, described as either a python or a boa constrictor, around his neck, earning applause from the crowd Danger: The performer sinks to the ground, waving his arm as if trying to signal for help from the audience - some of whom seemed to think it was part of the act The performer's body appears limp, and the two team members are clearly fearful over his condition. When the video surfaced, reports said that it took place in Dagestan, a republic in southern Russian beside the Caspian Sea. Dagestan media claimed the man had died in the circus accident, with one outlet saying it was in the regional capital of Makhachkala. But police in the region said no such incident had been registered with them. 'It never happened with us,' said a police source. 'We deny this fact.' The source added: 'According to the authors of the video, the male trainer was killed. 'But we would like to believe that young man received help in time and survived.' Police are now understood to be urgently seeking to verify where and when the incident took place, and the fate of the performer. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility