Moscow: A criminal investigation has been launched by Russian law enforcement authorities after a circus tiger jumped into the crowd during a show, local media reported on Monday.

A tiger jumped into the crowd of spectators at a circus in the Southern city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.

Videos shared by eyewitnesses showed three tigers and two trainers inside a performance ring when the incident occurred. As the barrier separating the audience from the animals collapsed, one tiger jumped over into the seating area.

"Video from the scene showed the tiger moving through the rows of seats while some spectators scrambled to flee. A second video captured a trainer attempting to steer the animal toward an exit along the empty back rows as families with young children watched," reported 'The Moscow Times'.

According to the report, an announcer was heard saying over the circus loudspeakers, "Dear visitors, please remain calm, or you’ll make it worse".

However, no injuries were reported among the spectators as the trainers eventually managed to direct the tiger into a secure transportation container.

Sergei Belyakov, General Director of the Russian State Circus, told Russia's leading Tass news agency, "A specialised commission will assess the incident at the Rostov-on-Don circus, where a tiger jumped into the audience during a performance, following an investigation".

Belyakov explained that during performances with predators, assistants equipped with restraints and protective equipment are always on duty, allowing for prompt assistance and preventing any emergencies. Clear procedures are also in place for informing spectators of the rules of conduct in emergency situations, he stated.

"It could be an emergency situation due to human error, which resulted in the collapse of the protective cage," Tass quoted Chairman of the Association of Travelling Circuses of Russia, Roman Korobko, as saying.

The report detailed that a final assessment of the incident, including the trainers' actions and compliance with all safety measures, will be made following an investigation by the relevant commissions.