Most Popular Suicide Sites Two

The Gap, New South Wales

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This beautiful seaside cliff is located in New South Wales, Australia. An average of about 50 people per year leap from its heights to commit suicide. On November 2, 2007, a local news anchor named Charmaine Dragun leaped over the cliff just one hour before she was scheduled to anchor the 5 pm news broadcast.

Humber Bridge

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This long suspension bridge spans the Humber River in England. It is 7,283 ft long and reaches a height of 510 feet at its towers. Completed in 1981 the Humber Bridge has already been home to over 200 suicides. The Humber Rescue Team has had to launch its boat over 100 times to rescue people who have jumped and survived or to recover the bodies of those who did not survive the leap.

Göltzschtalbrücke

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This railway bridge in Germany is the largest brick bridge in the world. It is 1,883 feet long, reaches a height of 255 feet and was completed in 1851. It is not known how many people have jumped from this bridge but it is known that people have been committing suicide here ever since the bridge was completed in 1851.

Empire State Building

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This building on 34th street in Manhattan, New York was the world’s tallest building for over 40 years after it was completed in 1931. Featured in many movies including “King Kong” the Empire State Building is one of the most recognized and photographed architectural buildings in the world today. It stands 1,472 feet high including the antennae/spire on top and often the upper parts of the building will be appropriately illuminated for different holidays and occasions. It has two observation decks open to the public. One on the 86th floor and the other on the 102nd story. There have been at least 32 people who leaped to their deaths from the Empire State Building including a distraught worker who leaped before the building was finished when he learned he was to be laid off.

Bosphorus Bridge

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Located in Istanbul, Turkey this bridge spans the Bosphorus strait and connects Europe and Asia. The Bosphorus Bridge is 4,954 feet long and is 210 feet high from the deck to the water. People have been committing suicide at the bridge since it was completed in 1973 and the total numbers are believed to be in the hundreds.

West Gate Bridge

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Located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia this bridge spans the Yarra river and is 8,473.1 ft long and reaches a height of 190 feet above the water. Completed in 1978 the bridge has seen an almost continuous number of yearly suicides. In January of 2009 a mentally ill man dropped his four year old daughter from the bridge leading to increased demands for a suicide prevention fence to be erected at the West Gate Bridge.

Grafton Bridge

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Located in Auckland City, New Zealand this road bridge spans Grafton Gully and is 320 feet long and rises to a height of 142 feet above the gully. Over 100 years old this bridge was the site of numerous suicides until 1992 when suicide prevention barriers were installed. For some reason the barriers were removed in 1996 and suicides jumped 5 fold until the barriers were re-installed in 2002.

Prince Edward Viaduct

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A double-decked arch bridge which spans the Don River Valley and Don River Parkway in Toronto, Ontario in Canada. The Viaduct, which was finished in 1918, is 1,680 feet long and reaches a height of 109 feet. Over 400 people have leaped to their death from the Viaduct. In 1997 it was estimated that on average one person committed suicide from this bridge every 72 days. In 1998 the city of Toronto authorized the building of the Luminous Veil which is a barrier built on the sides of the Viaduct to prevent suicides. While the Veil was being built its estimated another 60 people leaped to their deaths. Since completion of the Luminous Veil in 2003 it is believed not one suicide has taken place at the Viaduct. The band Barenaked Ladies’ 2003 song “War on Drugs” is about the Viaduct and Luminous Veil. The Veil was to be lit at night but the lights were never installed due to lack of funds.

Don’t miss the first installment of Most Popular Suicide Sites