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KUWAIT CITY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) — Since its opening in May 2019, the Sheikh Jaber Bridge — recognized as the world’s fourth longest sea-crossing bridge — has become not only a symbol of Kuwait’s north-south connection, but also an unexpected shrine for those seeking to end their lives, Al-Seyassah daily reported.
The bridge, once a vital piece of infrastructure, has become the site of 10 suicides since it opened. In the most recent incident, a missing person who jumped from the bridge was found and rescued by the fire department, marking the 10th suicide.
Seven of the attempts failed, meaning 70% of them ended in failure, which offers a glimmer of hope amid a grim reality. The peak of such incidents occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the emotional trauma of that period. The grim history of these attempts includes some notable cases, such as a girl’s thwarted attempt on July 30, 2021, and another tragic case in October of the same year, when a young woman jumped to her death from a bridge.
In December 2021, two people attempted suicide on the same day, one was rescued and the other was stopped in time. In 2022, the number of suicide cases increased.
On April 26, two residents, one Egyptian and the other Indian, attempted suicide. The Indian man was rescued by a passerby who found him in the water, while the Egyptian man was rushed to hospital with severe fractures after falling off a rock. In addition, an Australian jumped to his death from the bridge in September 2022, and his body was later recovered by a marine rescue team.
This trend continued in 2023, with two major incidents – on July 17, a 28-year-old Kuwaiti woman was rescued after jumping from a building; on August 22, authorities rescued another woman who also attempted suicide.
The increase in these cases raises important questions about the mental health of residents and the need for preventive measures. As the Sheikh Jaber Bridge remains a vital link in Kuwait’s infrastructure, it is critical to address the underlying issues that are causing this troubling trend.
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