Officials have reported the loss of four lives in Alabama, attributed to a risky trend popular on social media platforms. This trend involves people jumping from moving boats into water.

Captain Jim Dennis from Childersburg Rescue Squad revealed that the four victims succumbed to immediate death due to neck injuries they sustained when they jumped out of the fast moving boat and into its wake. Despite the apparent danger, the trend has become increasingly popular since 2020, with more people taking to the water during the warmer months.

Gail Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation, warned about the deadly risk of such stunts, comparing jumping into the water from a moving boat to hitting concrete from a significant height. Apart from the risk of severe physical injuries, including bone fractures and neck injuries, individuals may also face life-threatening dangers like running into boat propellers or being hit by another boat.

While TikTok, the platform where the trend is most popular, has issued warnings on certain videos, they stated that it’s incorrect to label this as a TikTok challenge. In a response to NBC News, TikTok clarified its position and reiterated its stance on promoting safe user behavior. The platform also stated its community guidelines explicitly discourage promoting or showcasing dangerous activities.

Experts echo this sentiment, emphasizing that even a life jacket is not enough to prevent serious injuries or death. The best safety measure is simply to abstain from participating in such risky activities.

ByteDance Ltd, a Beijing-based firm, fully owns TikTok. The social media giant boasts over 150 million users in the United States. However, the company’s Terms of Service explicitly state that it accepts no liability regarding any content submitted by users and published by the platform or authorized third parties.