A 16-year-old French teenager was found in the seine riverfour meters deep. Although emergency services arrived quickly, unfortunately he did not survive.
According to witnesses who witnessed the event, shortly before 8 in the morning, a young woman jumped into the Seine from the bridge which connects Argenteuil (Val-d’Oise) with Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine), in the north of France. The intentions were clear from the outside, when the teenager climbed the railing and jumped into the water, determined to end her life, as reported. Le Parisian.
At that moment, a barge was passing nearby and the passengers threw a shout at it. life jacketbut he rejected it. After this reaction, they did not hesitate to ask for help: the Paris firefighters They sent several vehicles, with the support of the Val-d’Oise Departmental Fire and Rescue Service. Unfortunately, when the emergency services arrived, the young woman had already disappeared beneath the surface.
“They tried very hard”said Héctor, one of the witnesses to the rescue operations, according to Le Parisian. The two inflatable boats of the firefighters and that of the police river brigade made several passes to find the victim, even reaching the Bezons bridge.
Finally, the firefighters managed to locate her thanks to the silver chain that he wore around his neck. “They found her about 200 or 300 meters from where she fell,” said Héctor. “They brought a Zodiac boat with a dog on board, and the dog pointed out the place.” The young woman was reportedly found at a depth of 4 meters.
The case of this teenager found in the Seine is set in a broader context that is increasingly worrying authorities and experts: the deteriorating mental health among young Europeans. A recent study of Nightline Europea listening and support service for students, has revealed alarming data about psychological well-being in this approximate age range.
According to figures from the European Association of Universities, the 40% of students in the European Union face difficulties related to their mental healthand one in five suffers from a diagnosed disorder. In Francethe situation is especially serious: between 2014 and 2021, the rate of suicidal thoughts increased by 218% among young people between 18 and 24 years old, with a higher incidence among racialized, LGBTQIA+ students, in precarious situations or with disabilities.
Nightline also notes that France is the European country with the most calls related to loneliness, nostalgia and precariousness, factors that have intensified after the pandemic. Isolation, academic pressure and family distance (especially among international students) aggravate the discomfort. “Many young people are away from home for the first time, without their support networks, and that can lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety,” the report warns.
Given this scenario, governments and universities are urged to strengthen psychological servicessupport networks and mental health awareness. The objective is clear: reverse a trend that affects an entire generation and that, in extreme cases, leads to avoidable tragedies.
