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The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

theguardian.com

1–10 of 46 posts

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#5
post #4

> This article was amended on 14 February 2024 to remove some details for consistency with editorial guidance. Too gruesome?

Is the archive at https://archive.is/Q8tZB before or after they did that?

It's before!

A couple I noticed (sorry, not at a computer right now):

> Only with decomposition will they begin to float.

> “There have been people that have jumped off Dartford Bridge and ended up in central London.

Completely unnecessary edits if you ask me.

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#6
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the archive at https://archive.is/Q8tZB before or after they did that?

It's before! A couple I noticed (sorry, not at a computer right now): > Only with decomposition will they begin to float. > “There have been people that have jumped off Dartford Bridge and ended up in central London. Completely unnecessary edits if you ask me.

I expect this was too comply with guidance on reporting on suicide [1]

> Avoid reporting methods of suicide

> Don’t refer to a specific site or location as popular or known for suicides

[1] https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/media-guidelines...

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#7

I live next to Baltimore and somewhat frequently you hear about a body fished out of the Inner Harbor. Just like in The Wire. Though I’m sure every city on a body of water experiences the same thing.

Love that season of the Wire. I'm from rural Ireland and there is a body of water near my home that is a suicide hotspot - 2 towns on the same river have given their share of young men to it unfortunately.

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#8
post #7

I live next to Baltimore and somewhat frequently you hear about a body fished out of the Inner Harbor. Just like in The Wire. Though I’m sure every city on a body of water experiences the same thing.

Love that season of the Wire. I'm from rural Ireland and there is a body of water near my home that is a suicide hotspot - 2 towns on the same river have given their share of young men to it unfortunately.

There is a rather prevalent belief, perhaps even a subconscious one, among people that suicide by leaping into a body of water is the go-to method. Probably doesn't help that it's been shown in media a lot, probably only below hanging and, perhaps, wrist-slitting. Anecdotally, at least 5 or 6 people that I've spoken to when discussing some grim news regarding events like these had the impression that suicide by water was a fast and calm process, which it most certainly is not. I still think about Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit and his tragic demise, that one was very publicised and I can only hope it didn't inspire too many other struggling people.

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#9
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's before! A couple I noticed (sorry, not at a computer right now): > Only with decomposition will they begin to float. > “There have been people that have jumped off Dartford Bridge and ended up in central London. Completely unnecessary edits if you ask me.

I expect this was too comply with guidance on reporting on suicide [1] > Avoid reporting methods of suicide > Don’t refer to a specific site or location as popular or known for suicides [1] https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/media-guidelines...

These 'top 10 tips' have put us in a strange place re reporting on suicide. The news becomes very cryptic with a lot that's unsaid.

Re: The cruel Thames: the job of pulling bodies from a dark, dangerous river

#10
The river police and the transport police have a pretty traumatic job in London. But the RNLI, also mentioned in the article, is the maritime search and rescue service for the UK. It’s completely funded by charitable donations and most of the crew are unpaid volunteers; anyone can volunteer. Edit, submitted before finished: At many other towns and cities around the UK which don’t have specialist police units like this and where there are also suicide hotspots the job of body recovery falls to these volunteers.
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