Home>News Center>Life
         
 

Strangers die in Britain's 'first' online suicide pact
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-09-30 10:01

The death of two strangers, who killed themselves in what is believed to be Britain's first Internet suicide pact, has prompted calls for websites promoting suicide to be banned, a newspaper said.


Computer at an Internet cafe. The death of two strangers, who killed themselves in what is believed to be Britain's first Internet suicide pact, has prompted calls for websites promoting suicide to be banned, a newspaper said. [AFP/File]

Japan and other Far Eastern countries have also experienced the phenomenon.

Christopher Aston, a 25-year-old student from Liverpool, northern England, and unemployed Maria Williams, 42, also known as Sanchez, from south London, were found dead in a car in the British capital on February 23.

They had poisoned themselves with carbon monoxide fumes from burning barbecue charcoal.

An inquest this week was told that the pair made contact through a suicide website. They both left separate suicide notes.

Tony Cox, of the charity Parents for Prevention of Young Suicide, told The Daily Telegraph newspaper that the incident highlighted the need for greater regulation of the Internet.

"Internet suicide seems to be a growing phenomenon in parts of the Far East, especially in Japan," he said.

"We have been dreading the moment something like this would happen. We hope this is not the start of a trend. Websites that bring people like this together should be closed down."



Get united to combat AIDS/HIV
Fashion show
Kidman to star in movie about husband hunt
  Today's Top News     Top Life News
 

No US-China textile deal; more talks in October

 

   
 

CPC to hold plenum in Beijing October 8-11

 

   
 

American DVD piracy convict deported home

 

   
 

Laundering legislation to spread net wider

 

   
 

New flu pandemic could kill 150 million

 

   
 

US, China clash over UN N. Korea statement

 

   
  Strangers die in Britain's 'first' online suicide pact
   
  On Chinese TV, what's cool is no longer correct
   
  China seizes on Olympic fair play
   
  Danish Air Force compensates Santa Claus
   
  Olympic champion Liu Xiang heads back to school
   
  His performance art is bound to provoke
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Feature  
  Could China's richest be the tax cheaters?  
Advertisement