2023-07-09 12:46:22
‘Boat jumping’ is the latest TikTok trend that has resulted in the deaths of four people in Alabama, USA in recent months. The challenge consists in throwing yourself into the foam caused by the engines of a motorboat launched at full speed. A real leap into the void which, due to the violent impact with the water, causes in some cases the immediate breaking of the neck bone, with consequent drowning. The high speed of the boat combined with the still water creates a dangerous landing pad that looks similar to concrete.
The trend has been a problem for first responders over the past couple of years, but it has particularly increased since the beginning of the year. “In the last six months we have had four easily avoidable drownings,” Childersburg Rescue Squad Captain Jim Dennis told the WPDE, as reported by the Daily Mail. “They were doing a challenge on TikTok. It’s where you get into a boat going at high speed, you jump off the side of the boat, you don’t dive, you jump foot first and you just duck into the water. The four we are talking about literally broke their necks when they jumped off the boat. They practically died instantly.”
The first victim died in February after jumping into the Coosa River while his wife and children filmed the scene. The most recent incident in Alabama occurred last May. An adult man also died on that occasion. According to WPDE, the footage was shot on Lake Norman in North Carolina. In the video, five people can be seen jumping and diving into the water.
A TikTok search for “#boatjumping” or any iteration of the two words shows a stream of daredevils filming what Dennis calls “instant death.” Participants in this dangerous challenge are of all ages. Captain Dennis believes people are more likely to engage in risky behavior when filmed for social media, as they want to show off in front of their friends.
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