MONTREAL - A Cirque du Soleil acrobat who was critically injured in a fall Friday, died of his injuries yesterday.

The company said Oleksandr Zhurov (Sacha) died of his injuries in a Montreal hospital yesterday.

Cirque du Soleil president Guy Laliberte said their community was shocked by the death.

"I'm extremely saddened by Sacha's death," he said. "Something like this reminds us of the courage and determination that our performers show every day."

The 24-year-old Ukrainian was doing general training exercises for the world-famous circus on a Russian swing when the incident happened.

He was unconcious when paramedics arrived shortly after 10 a.m. and was immediately transported to hospital.

An autopsy is underway to determine exactly how he died.