Multiple Jumping Incidents from Incheon Bridge... 3 Fatal Falls in Two Days

May 5: Deaths of Men in Their 50s and 20s, May 4: Man in His 30s Also Dies by Suicide
41 Suicide Jumping Incidents on Incheon Bridge in Last 5 Years ... 15 Cases in First 9 Months of This Year

An accident occurred at Incheon Bridge where three people jumped to their deaths over two days from the 4th to the 5th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Over two days on the 4th and 5th, three drivers jumped to their deaths from the Incheon Bridge in succession.

According to the Incheon Coast Guard on the 6th, a report was received on the 5th at around 1:47 p.m. that a driver had jumped from the Incheon Bridge above Unnam-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon.

The informant said, "I was driving when another driver jumped." The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a rescue team and rescued a man in his 50s, Mr. A, from the nearby sea 16 minutes after the report was received. Mr. A was transported to the hospital but died.

Earlier that day, at around 3:32 a.m., a man in his 20s, Mr. B, parked his vehicle and fell into the sea. After receiving a report from the Incheon Bridge control room, the Coast Guard, along with the Navy and fire authorities, conducted a joint search and rescued Mr. B 1 hour and 5 minutes later. Mr. B was in cardiac arrest at the time of rescue and was transported to a nearby hospital while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but he ultimately passed away.

A similar accident occurred on the Incheon Bridge on the 4th as well. At around 1:19 p.m. on the 4th, a man in his 30s, Mr. C, parked his vehicle and jumped into the sea, dying as a result. Mr. C was rescued after 24 minutes but eventually died.

Opened in 2009, the Incheon Bridge is the longest bridge in South Korea, spanning 21.4 km and connecting Yeongjongdo, where Incheon International Airport is located, with Songdo International City. Since there is no pedestrian walkway on the Incheon Bridge, incidents of people parking their vehicles on the bridge and jumping into the sea have continued, earning it the notorious nickname "Suicide Bridge."

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Coast Guard to Representative Heo Jongsik of the Democratic Party of Korea (Incheon Dong-gu Michuhol-gu Gap), a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, as of October 1 this year, there have been 15 jumping incidents on the Incheon Bridge, resulting in 11 deaths. Over the past five years, there have been a total of 41 jumping incidents on the Incheon Bridge, with 30 deaths and only 11 survivors, resulting in a survival rate of just 26.8%. During the same period, the number of traffic accident fatalities on the Incheon Bridge was 3.

The Incheon Bridge authorities have implemented measures such as strengthening patrols over the marine section, broadcasting emergency announcements when vehicles are parked, and establishing a 24-hour monitoring system to prevent jumping incidents, but these efforts have been insufficient to stop the falls. Consequently, there have been ongoing calls for more proactive measures, such as installing safety railings to prevent falls. Due to load issues, safety railings have not been installed on the Incheon Bridge.

Meanwhile, Seoul City has installed fall prevention barriers on Mapo Bridge and Hangang Bridge, raised the height of railings, and established a system that uses AI (artificial intelligence) to analyze human movements and dispatch rescue teams immediately if a potential jump is detected. From 2019 to June of this year, this system has achieved a survival rescue rate of 97.6%.

※ If you have difficult-to-talk-about concerns such as depression or if you have family or acquaintances experiencing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling at suicide prevention hotline ☎1393, mental health counseling ☎1577-0199, Hope Phone ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, and Youth Phone ☎1388.