About

The TikTok Water Tank Challenge Death Hoax refers to rumors that a man drowned while performing the so-called "Water Tank Challenge" on TikTok LIVE, which purportedly involved submerging oneself headfirst into a large container full of water. Allegations of the death went viral in early August 2025, spreading on TikTok and X / Twitter. In reality, the video linked to the alleged death comes from a TikTok livestream by TikToker Smil King (@smil_kiing5), who is alive and still posting content following his supposed death.

Origin

On August 6th, 2025, a hoax began claiming that a boy drowned during a TikTok LIVE stream by attempting the "Water Tank Challenge." It is unclear who started the rumor, with the X^[1][2] pages @Brandleakage and @world24x7hr both sharing it at the same time that day.

The post by @Brandleakage does not name the alleged TikToker, but does include a video of TikToker^[3] @smil_kiing5 diving headfirst into a barrel of water and not emerging. Smil King is known to host TikTok LIVE streams in which he submerges himself in a barrel of water.

The original post reads:

TikTok Streamer Dies During Water Tank Challenge 💔

A tragic incident occurred during a live TikTok stream when a young man attempted the risky Water Tank Challenge. In an effort to complete the stunt, he dove headfirst into a large barrel filled with water. However, due to the confined space, he was unable to resurface and tragically drowned in front of his live audience.

This heartbreaking event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of performing extreme online challenges. Authorities and experts are urging social media users to prioritize safety and avoid attempting dangerous stunts for views or attention.

The claim first gained notable attention when X^[4] user @AlertaNews24 reposted it several minutes after the first two accounts, garnering over 20,000 likes, 2,700 reposts and 5.9 million views in a day.

Spread

The claim continued to spread on August 6th, 2025, mostly on X. For example, later that day, X^[4] user @The_Sand_Men reposted the video, writing, "😱"FAFO":https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fuck-around-and-find-out-fafo : TikTok streamer drowns while performing water tank challenge!," garnering over 5,300 likes and 480 reposts in a day.

Also on August 6th, TikToker^[5] @nefertiti.zuairath posted a video debunking the claim that the TikToker died, sharing that it is a video of Smil King, garnering over 320,000 views in a day.

On August 7th, 2025, Hindustan Times^[6] published a piece debunking the claim.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References