Aline Tamara Moreira de Amorim and Beatriz Tavares da Silva Faria died when a wave crashed into the vessel carrying seven people
Two Brazilian influencers drowned in a boating accident off the coast of São Paulo, per reports by local news outlets. After the vessel capsized on Sept. 29, G1 Globo reported that only five of the seven people on board were rescued.
The bodies of the two other victims were later discovered, and both Aline Tamara Moreira de Amorim, 37, and Beatriz Tavares da Silva Faria, 27, were confirmed dead. In an interview with G1 Globo’s TV Tribuna, the city’s chief police officer Marcos Alexandre Alfino cited a testimony by the boat’s caption and said that the two women declined to wear life jackets “because they were taking selfies.”
“They said that life jackets would get in the way of their tanning,” Alfino added of the women, who were attending a party held on the ill-fated boat.
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According to information obtained by G1 Globo, Amorim — who reportedly has a 17-year-old son — shared photos of herself on social media while out at sea. The outlet added that her brother claimed she didn’t know how to swim.
The Brazilian news source says the two women who died did not know each other prior to the party.
Reports also detailed that the accident happened in the region known as Garganta do Diabo, which translates to Devil’s Throat. The partygoers were being transported back to land on a different vessel when that smaller boat was hit by a wave, knocking all seven people into the water.
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In his statement to the police, the boat’s pilot — who was not identified — also claimed he tried to help everyone who fell off the vessel, but he explained he could only retrieve some of the survivors from the sea.
The International Business Times shared quotes from one of the survivors, Vanessa Audrey da Silva. She recalls how she urgently put on her life vest and held onto a rock after the boat started sinking. She was able to hold on until help arrived to rescue her.
“There was a moment in the water when no one could see anyone,” da Silva said. “I was fighting for my life.”
