At least four people, including a father, have died in recent months following a dangerous new viral challenge on TikTok called the boat jumping challenge. The information was confirmed this week by Alabama authorities in the United States. Now both authorities and the social media platform are warning users to prevent more tragedies.
Boat Jumping: the Dangerous TikTok Challenge
People who decide to do the TikTok challenge jump from boats while sailing at full speed in the sea or a lake. They do it by jumping backward, and as a result, some have ended up with a broken neck and drowning.
“In the last six months, we have had four drownings that could have been easily avoided. They were doing a TikTok challenge. It’s a challenge where you get in a speeding boat and jump off the shore. Don’t. You’re jumping in feet first and just letting yourself go into the water. This is not worth risking your life for,” was the warning message from Jim Dennis, chief of police in the town of Childersburg.
Given the force of impact with a speeding boat, coupled with those who make the jump backward, the outcomes are proving fatal. The trend has been a serious problem in several Alabama and U.S. cities over the past two years. However, in the first few months of 2023, the numbers are alarming.
https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1678132176876105735
TikTok: Why Is the Boat Jumping Challenge So Dangerous?
According to experts, by combining the speed at which they are taking the boats with a severe shock in the water, everyone attempting the challenge is practically launching themselves onto a surface that ends up being similar to concrete.
The first fatality was reported last February when a father did the challenge on the Coosa River while his wife and son watched from the boat. The moment was even recorded as the man wanted to upload it to TikTok. Despite the constant warnings that were made at the time, there have already been three other passings from the same cause.
The worrying thing is that, as the days go by, many people are joining the challenge on TikTok, and the people are of all ages. “I think people if they are being recorded, are more likely to do something stupid just because they want to show it off in front of their friends on social media,” Dennis said.
This story was published in Spanish by Miguel Fernández in Cultura Colectiva News
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