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Coast Guard launches search after suspected suicide at Incheon Bridge

Published: 25 Sep. 2025, 13:52

Plastic barrels are seen placed along Incheon Bridge on Nov. 18, 2022. [YONHAP]

A driver went missing on Thursday after leaving a car parked on Incheon Bridge, prompting a search by the Coast Guard.

The bridge's control center reported that somebody "appeared to have fallen into the sea" at 3:33 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Incheon Coast Guard.

Responding officers discovered a vehicle stopped near one of the bridge’s main towers. A note was reportedly found inside.

Authorities believe the driver fell into the water and have deployed patrol vessels to search the surrounding area.

Incheon Bridge has seen similar incidents recently. On Sept. 9 and Monday, drivers in their 30s parked their cars and jumped to their deaths from the bridge.

To prevent such cases, 1,500 plastic barrels had been placed along the bridge in November 2022 to block vehicles from stopping. But they were removed last month to ensure emergency workers could respond promptly to accidents.

“We are carrying out search operations while investigating the exact circumstances of the incident,” said a Coast Guard official.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]