There has been shocking news of a spate of suicide deaths of workers at the firm that produce iPhones and iPads in China for Apple, the Foxconn Technology Group. A worker who jumped to his death on Friday has now become the 9th suicide victim this year at the huge electronics manufacturing company.

A report by William Foreman on The Associated Press, citing the Xinhua News Agency in China, says that the latest victim Nan Geng, aged only 21 and a logistics worker, jumped off a building, and landed on his head shortly after finishing his shift, dying at the scene. Apparently 11 workers have attempted suicide although 2 survived the attempt.

Labor activists have long-criticized working conditions at the vast Foxconn plant with claims of high pressure and severe discipline for any mistakes. Foxconn though have made no immediate comment, although following an earlier suicide this month said that their workers received world-class treatment.

Another case of suicide at Foxconn involved an employee who was responsible for sending an iPhone prototype to Apple Inc., in the U.S. After being questioned about how the prototype went missing Sun Danyong jumped to his death last July. He was just 25-years-old.

For more on this story go to The Associated Press. This is obviously a complete tragedy and has to raise questions about why workers are feeling compelled to carry out such wretched acts? We’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.