The Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York City opened a little less than two years back with fanfare both positive and negative. The structure drew large crowds and makes for a very Instagram-worthy attraction.

We visited The Vessel a month after it opened. It’s a very impressive site to see in person. Lucas and I had a blast wandering climbing up and down the staircases, taking in incredible views, while also snapping some fun photos.

Since then, we’ve been by The Vessel a couple of times but haven’t had a chance to climb it again.

At the moment, nobody will be going inside The Vessel. It’s been temporarily closed due to a few suicides.

Tragedy first struck in February 2020 when a 19-year-old jumped from the sixth floor. In December, a 24-year old Brooklyn woman jumped to her death from the top of The Vessel. She shared her suicide note (in a scheduled post) on Instagram the following day.

Earlier this week, a 21-year old Texas man jumped to his death causing a temporary closure of the attraction.

Gothamist writes that, “a spokesperson said that they are continuing to consult with suicide-prevention experts, including psychologists, and say that they added additional security who are trained to identify and, if needed, potentially engage with high-risk persons.”

It’s tragic that while most find joy in this fun site, a select few see it as a way to end things.