'Boat Jumping' a Dangerous Trend This Summer

Correction: This story has been updated with information from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Marine Patrol Division, which said no deaths in the state have been linked to a TikTok trend.

An Alabama first responder's widely reported claim that four people in the state had died in connection to a TikTok trend known as "Boat Jumping" has been refuted by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Marine Patrol Division.

"It got blown way out of proportion,’’ said Capt. Jim Dennis of the Childersburg Rescue Squad, after previously claiming that there were four drownings in the state in the past six months tied to people jumping off boats. “If there’s data supporting [boat jumping deaths in Alabama], I don’t have that.” 

"Boat Jumping" has been a trend on TikTok as well as other social platforms, with videos people jumping off the back or side of boats at high rates of speed. While dangerous, there have been no specific deaths tied to the practice in Alabama, in spite of initial reporting to the contrary based on statements by Dennis. 

Of course, jumping off boats is a classic dare that predates the existence of all social media services. Still, a search for “boat jumping” on TikTok turns up countless videos which showcase the dangerous stunt. 

In one video, uploaded in 2021 by user @markthompson295, a total of nine people (including at least six small children) jump off the back of a boat in rapid succession. One of the older-appearing children face plants into the water, as Weezer’s “Island in the Sun” plays over the images.

@markthompson295

Last day of lake life jumping into the surf. #boat #bubblejump #mbboats

♬ Island In The Sun - Weezer

Law enforcement officials have stressed that while the stunt is dangerous, they have not linked it to any deaths in the state.