Two Brazilian influencers recently drowned after reportedly prioritizing their appearance over their safety, refusing life jackets to preserve their tans and selfies.
The women, Aline Tamara Moreira de Amorim, 37, and Beatriz Tavares da Silva Faria, 27, were on an overcrowded speedboat that capsized in the dangerous Devil’s Throat area of the Iguazu River.
Despite the warnings from the boat’s captain, the influencers allegedly declined life jackets, reportedly because they ‘would get in the way of their tanning,’ according to São Vicente Police Commissioner Marcos Alexandre Alfino, per G1 Globo.
This decision ultimately led to their tragic deaths as the boat overturned amid rough waves.
The tragic incident reveals the risks influencers sometimes take for social media.
Reports indicate that Amorim and Faria were returning from a yacht party near São Paulo, but the boat exceeded its five-person capacity by carrying six people.
Although the captain attempted to keep everyone safe, the decision to forgo life jackets turned the outing fatal.
Amorim’s body was discovered days later, washed ashore on Itaquitanduva Beach.
Only hours before the accident, she had posted photos from the yacht on social media, emphasizing her intent to document the experience, reports The New York Post.
Survivors of the incident shared chilling accounts of the accident, including Vanessa Audrey da Silva, who chose to wear a life jacket and managed to survive by clinging to a rock until help arrived.
“There was a moment in the water when no one could see anyone,” she recalled to the International Business Times.
Her decision to wear a life jacket likely saved her life, revealing the life-saving importance of safety precautions in such unpredictable environments.
While this incident is a grim reminder, it is part of a larger pattern of social media influencers risking safety for likes and attention.
Beyond this boat tragedy, other influencers have taken part in similarly dangerous stunts.
Earlier this year Chinese national, Huang Lihong fell into the Ijen, a volcano in Indonesia while on holiday.
She had been trying to get the perfect selfie, hoping to get the perfect snap of herself with the beautiful view in the background.
In another tragic instance, a 26-year-old British influencer fell to his death in Spain while attempting to climb a high bridge in Castilla-La Mancha for content.
Despite known risks and slippery conditions from rain, he scaled the 630-foot bridge with friends to capture the perfect shot, an act that ended in tragedy.
The local city councilor Macarena Muñoz confirmed to Indy 100: “[They] had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social media, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome.”
With selfie-related incidents on the rise, experts express growing concerns about this public health issue.
The University of New South Wales released a study in 2023 that underscores the alarming frequency of injuries and deaths from risky selfies, noting an urgent need for safety measures at popular tourist spots.
According to the study, preventable accidents have become a global concern, with India seeing numerous fatalities due to selfies at dangerous locations.
With incidents increasing, experts and public health officials recommend immediate steps to prevent similar tragedies.
The study from the University of New South Wales calls for safety signs and strict regulations at high-risk sites, emphasizing that both influencers and the general public need to weigh the cost of dangerous behaviors for social media popularity. T
his call for action suggests that the global ‘selfie obsession’ may now demand comprehensive interventions to prevent further loss of life.