Better safety urged after 4 take lives at scenic spot

In the wake of four people taking their own lives in a suspected group suicide at the popular Tianmen Mountain scenic spot in Hunan province, the local government called for greater safety efforts on Saturday.

On Friday, the government of Yongding district of the province's Zhangjiajie city, where the site is located, said in a statement that the incident had taken place on April 4.

Three men jumped to their deaths from a glass skywalk on the mountain at around 1:30 pm. The fourth person, a woman, was prevented from jumping but later died of suspected poisoning. Local police have set up a special group to investigate the case, and confirmed that the deaths were all suicides, ruling out criminal behavior or other possibilities.

On Saturday, Wang Chuanshu, deputy head of Yongding, took part in a safety inspection of tourist sites in the district, including Tianmen Mountain. He urged authorities to step up patrols, enforce safety measures and revise the emergency response plan to ensure visitor safety.

According to the news website ThePaper.cn, a friend of the woman who died, said that according to local police, the four, who were all from different provinces, planned to take their lives through a group chat online.

Apart from their names, all four left identical suicide notes, stating that their deaths had nothing to do with anyone else, the friend said on condition of anonymity.

According to the magazine Life Week, the four were aged between 23 and 34 and they were all rural migrant workers.

The case has been widely discussed on Chinese social media since Tuesday. While saddened by the loss of young lives, commenters have questioned how the four got to know each other, and if the case was related to potential "suicide groups" on social media.

Those experiencing issues related to mental health or suicide should reach out to their local crisis helpline or mental health professionals, some of them said.