Two Brazilian influencers who tragically drowned were among a group of boaters who reportedly refused to wear lifejackets while taking selfies at a yacht party.
The shocking incident occurred off the coast of Brazil in an area called Devil’s Throat, known for its breathtaking scenery — along with powerful choppy water. Aline Tamara Moreira de Amorim, 37, and Beatriz Tavares da Silva Faria, 27, apparently let nothing come between them and the perfect shot, and this may have cost them their lives.
The women had been enjoying a day of “cruising” and “tanning” on a speedboat packed with influencers when a deadly wave suddenly crashed over a crowded second boat the two had transferred to on Sept. 29, G1 Globo reported.
In an interview with the outlet, Sao Vincente police Commissioner Marcos Alexandre Alfino revealed that witnesses testified that some women in the boating party did not want to wear life jackets. “Some didn’t want to put them on because they were taking selfies,” he revealed. “They said that they get in the way of their tanning.”
The concerning details emerged through police interviews with witnesses that included the man piloting the capsized boat. He told police he had been ordered to take six passengers back to shore, exceeding his boat’s maximum capacity, according to the local news outlet. When the powerful wave struck, the boat was too heavy and overturned, and all seven aboard were thrown into the water. That’s when panic broke out.
Survivor Vanessa Audrey da Silva described a chaotic scene to G1 Globo. After a day of partying and enjoying the sights with a large group, she said the influencers split into two boats for their return trip to the shore, and that’s when a wave overtook one.
After managing to put on a life jacket, she clung to rocks in the water to keep from drowning. “There was a moment in the water when no one could see anyone. I was fighting for life,” she said.
Before de Amorim’s body was found, da Silva said, “Five people managed to reach that rock, and she was wearing a vest. So, the hope is that she is there.”
In the frenzy, survivor Camila Alves de Carvalho clutched a life jacket in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.
“There were very strong waves, we almost died. We didn’t know how to swim,” she told local news outlets, adding that she hurt her foot and swallowed water as she fought to survive. “We threw ourselves into the rocks,” she recounted.
Brazil’s Maritime Firefighters first recovered da Silva Faria’s body floating out to sea on Oct. 2. The other victim, de Amorim, reportedly could not swim and was found washed up on the coast of Itaquitanduva Beach two days later. She was a mother to a 17-year-old son, according to G1 Globo, and posted photos of herself posing on the boat before the tragedy unfolded.
Police Commissioner Alfino noted that the tragic events are still under investigation to determine if reckless or negligent actions caused the deaths.
