Two influencers lost their lives after failing to wear lifejackets on a speedboat that sank near the coast of Brazil. According to police, the fashion-forward duo were concerned that wearing safety gear would ruin their tan in photos for social media.
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According to local reports, Aline Tamara Moreira de Amorim, 37, and Beatriz Tavares da Silva Faria, 27, disregarded repeated warnings to don their life jackets when an overcrowded boat capsized in the turbulent waters of Devil’s Throat on the Iguazu River while returning from a yacht party.
Sao Vincente Police Commissioner Marcos Alexandra Alfino cited testimony from the boat’s captain, stating that the two women refused to wear life jackets “because they were taking selfies.”
“They said that they get in the way of their tanning,” Alfino told G1 Globo’s TV Tribuna.
On September 29, local media reported that two victims boarded a speedboat to the shore alongside four other influencers after enjoying a party on a luxury yacht with friends off the coast of São Paulo.
The speedboat captain informed police that he was instructed to transport six influencers. However, the vessel had a maximum capacity of just five passengers.
Overcrowding the Speedboat May Have Led to the Drowning Deaths of Two Influencers
Police reports indicate that overcrowding made the boat unable to handle the rough waves. This caused it to leak and throw passengers into the choppy sea.
The captain informed the police that he made every effort to save his passengers. However, the two victims declined to wear their life vests. They believed it would ruin their photos and tans, per local sources.
Authorities reported that Brazil’s Maritime Firefighters recovered Faria’s body after it had drifted out to sea.
Meanwhile, Amorium’s body was discovered a week later on the shores of Itaquitanduva Beach.
According to information from G1 Globo, Amorim is said to have a 17-year-old son. She reportedly posted photos of herself on social media while out at sea. The report also mentioned that her brother stated she did not know how to swim.
Vanessa Audrey da Silva, one of the five survivors, recounted she frantically donned her life vest and clung to a rock as the boat plunged into the water.
“There was a moment in the water when no one could see anyone,” she recalled to The International Business Times. “I was fighting for my life.”
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Alfino stated that investigators are closely examining the events leading up to the accident to find out if the deaths resulted from recklessness or negligence.