A 55-year-old courier who worked for 18 hours straight in China died on his motorcycle.

A tragic incident in Hangzhou, China, has brought the working conditions of couriers in the country back into the spotlight. A 55-year-old courier died while resting on his electric bicycle after enduring an exhausting 18-hour shift.

The incident was revealed on September 6 through a video shared on social media. The footage showed a courier with the surname Yuan lying motionless on his bicycle. Eyewitnesses stated that Yuan had worked from 9:00 PM on September 5 until 1:00 AM the following morning.

Yuan's colleagues said he was known as the "King of Orders" and earned an average of 500-600 yuan (70-85 dollars) per day. On rainy days, this figure could reach 700 yuan. Yuan typically worked until 3:00 AM and started again at 6:00 AM.

It was learned that Yuan had been involved in a traffic accident a month before his death, breaking his leg, and returned to work after a short rest. Yuan had moved from Hubei to Hangzhou to support the education of his 16-year-old son. He was also married and had another adult son.

Local authorities confirmed that Yuan "died despite emergency intervention." It was reported that an agreement had been reached between the food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family.

This incident has highlighted the challenging working conditions in China's courier industry. There are over 10 million food delivery workers in the country. Research shows that the working hours of couriers have significantly increased in recent years.

Many comments were made on social media regarding the incident. Users emphasized the need to improve the working conditions of couriers and protect their legal rights.

This tragedy once again reminded us that urgent measures need to be taken regarding the welfare and job security of workers, revealing the dark side of China's rapidly growing gig economy.