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At this rate, TikTok trends are going to have a higher body count than COVID-19. The newest ‘gimme views’ trend is called #boatjumping’, and so far there have been four deaths attributed to it.

This latest addition to the trend sees people jumping off the back of a speeding boat, some doing the customary TikTok backflip before splashing into the wake behind the boat.

As fun as some TikTokers make it look, these boats usually move at a breakneck speed, literally, and increasing reports have been surfacing of people breaking their necks upon landing in the water, and then drowning.

For some reason Alabama in the US has seen the most fatalities, and now authorities have again asked people to stop.

According to Cpt. Jim Dennis of the Childersburg Rescue Squad, “The last six months we have had four drownings that were easily avoidable. They were doing a TikTok challenge. It’s where you get in a boat going at a high rate of speed, you jump off the side of the boat feet first and you just kinda lean into the water.”

Daredevils among us who have jumped off a moving boat will know that the water can feel like pavement when you hit it. The first victim died in February after plunging into the Coosa River while his wife and their children watched from inside the boat.

“Unfortunately, she recorded his death,” Dennis said.

A TikTok search for “#boatjumping” or any iteration of the two words shows a stream of daredevils filming their potential brushes with what Dennis called “instant death.” And it’s not just ‘those crazy kids’ that are doing it as all ages are joining in the fun-filled-suicide.

Police say at least 4 people have died doing the TikTok boat jumping challenge

“When they jumped out of the boat, they literally broke their neck … instant death” pic.twitter.com/OKUPNXlGG0

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) July 9, 2023

“I think people if they’re being filmed on camera, are more likely to do something stupid because they want to show off in front of their friends for social media.”

That about sums up TikTok.

[source:nypost]