7 Wild and Scary Jet Ski Moments Caught on Tape

Jet skis are generally good for hours of fun on the water, but sometimes end up being a little more than some riders can handle. What’s worse, sometimes these ill-prepared riders have passengers whose lives they also put in danger with their inexperience and inattention. However, for those of us watching from the comfort of our couches, these incidents that are caught on tape make for some good entertainment.

From the river to the lake to the ocean, jet skis are everywhere, often seen whipping about across the water and jumping waves and wakes and, for the most part, allowing their riders to enjoy the day. However, when things go wrong, with very little in the way of protection, things tend to go horribly wrong, often leaving riders and passengers in precarious predicaments. This countdown video shows seven incidents that all could have caused serious injuries or death to those aboard the skis, though from what we can tell everybody escaped with their lives in each crash. The first one is one that most of us have seen at some point, but the rest of them appear to be relatively obscure footage. I’m not sure what I would do if I found myself racing toward a 30 foot spillway with no way to stop, but that’s what happens in one clip, and the impact at the bottom looks to be punishing. There are two clips of one ski colliding with another, and one featuring a rider running ashore unexpectedly. Finally, there are a couple of massive ocean waves that swallow everything in their path, including a couple unfortunate jet skis.

While these crafts can be tons of fun, they are also fast enough to get you in trouble in a matter of seconds, so always try to look ahead of where you’re headed and be aware of other skiers, boaters and bystanders.