Man pushes would-be suicide jumper off bridge because he was taking too long



A passer-by pushed a would-be suicide jumper off a bridge because he was fed up at the man's 'selfish activity', Chinese media has reported.

Lian Jiansheng, 66, was passing by the Haizhu Bridge in the city of Guangzhou when he spotted Chen Fuchao threatening to jump.

Chen held up traffic for five hours, drawing a crowd at the bridge - and an impatient Lian finally decided enough was enough.

Lian Jiansheng, left, greets would-be suicide jumper Chen Fuchao with a handshake...

...Then gives him a mighty shove off the bridge

He offered to talk Chen down but police refused to let him through a cordon. Determined, Lian pushed through anyway and climbed up to where Chen was sitting.

He greeted the distraught man with a handshake - then gave him a mighty shove.

Chen tumbled 26feet from the bridge to a partially-inflated emergency air cushion that police had - fortunately - had time to place on the ground below during the five preceding hours.

He survived with elbow and spine injuries and is now recovering in hospital, Chinese news agency Xinhua said.



Chen tumbles 26feet from the bridge to a partially-inflated emergency air cushion set up by police below...

... As Lian gives the crowd, which had been stuck in traffic for five hours waiting for Chen to jump, a broad grin and a cheerful salute

Lian, a broad grin on his face, saluted the dumbfounded crowd as he watched Chen fall.

'I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest,' Lian told Xinhua.



'They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals.'

Chen wanted to kill himself because he had 2 million yuan ($294,000) in debt after a failed construction project, Xinhua reported.

Police took Lian away - but did not say whether he would be charged with any offence.

The bridge has gained a macabre reputation with 11 jumpers having thrown themselves off it in the just the last two months.

The Haizhu Bridge in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, where Chen made his suicide attempt. Eleven other people have committed suicide on the bridge in the last two months. It is not clear what side of the bridge Chen was pushed from