Tragedy as Mexican Navy Ship Crashes Into Brooklyn Bridge, Killing Two and Injuring Nineteen
In a devastating maritime accident, a Mexican Navy ship, the training vessel Cuauhtémoc, collided with New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, leaving two people dead and 19 others injured.
Authorities say the tall sailing ship, with 277 people on board, lost power while navigating the East River. As the vessel approached the Brooklyn Bridge, it was unable to stop or redirect course, ultimately striking the bridge’s abutment on the Brooklyn side.
The Cuauhtémoc—a nearly 300-foot-long training vessel belonging to the Mexican Navy—was in the midst of an international voyage when it experienced a critical mechanical failure. According to the New York Police Department, the ship’s captain was attempting to maneuver the vessel when it suddenly lost power, leaving it vulnerable to the river’s current and unable to avoid the looming bridge.
Footage Captures Harrowing Moments Aboard the Mexican Navy Ship
Dramatic footage taken from the shoreline shows the tall masts of the Mexican Navy ship striking the lower structure of the bridge. The impact caused the masts to snap violently, sending debris and rigging crashing onto the ship’s deck. Disturbingly, crew members were standing on the masts at the time of the accident, and several were thrown to the deck during the collapse.
Eyewitness Nick Corso, a Brooklyn resident, described the scene as terrifying. “There was lots of screaming, some sailors hanging from the masts,” he told AFP. “People didn’t know what was happening at first. Then it turned into panic.”
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but traffic congestion delayed their arrival. Witness Kelvin Flores, who works near the waterfront, said he witnessed chaos unfold as police and fire crews attempted to reach the injured.
“People were carrying stretchers, and there was just this huge sense of urgency,” Flores told the BBC. “It was like something out of a disaster movie.”
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Power failure causes Mexican Navy ship to collide with iconic New York landmark during training voyage
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the deaths via his official social media account, noting that two of the 19 injured were in critical condition. He praised emergency responders for their swift actions and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
Police indicated that early findings suggest a combination of mechanical issues and a power outage led to the collision. The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a formal investigation into the accident and confirmed that all personnel from the Mexican Navy ship had been accounted for, with no one falling into the water.
The Cuauhtémoc reportedly lost all three of its towering masts in the crash. Despite the ship’s significant damage, the Brooklyn Bridge itself did not sustain any major structural harm. After a preliminary inspection, the bridge was reopened to traffic.
The Cuauhtémoc, named after the last Aztec emperor, is a renowned tall ship used by the Mexican Navy to train naval cadets. Measuring 297 feet in length and 40 feet in width, the sailing vessel was first launched in 1982. Every year, it serves as the final leg of training for cadets graduating from Mexico’s Naval Military School.
This year’s journey began on April 6 from the Mexican port of Acapulco. The ship had planned an ambitious international voyage, with Iceland set as its final destination.
The Mexican Navy has not released a full statement regarding the incident, but Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her grief, saying she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of two naval personnel. She extended her condolences to the families and emphasized that the government would provide full support.
One of the key factors being reviewed in the ongoing investigation is the ship’s height relative to the Brooklyn Bridge’s clearance. Authorities confirmed that the Cuauhtémoc’s mast height was 158 feet (48.2 meters), while the Brooklyn Bridge has a center clearance of 135 feet (41.1 meters) according to the New York Department of Transportation.
While it remains unclear why the ship attempted to pass beneath the bridge at all, experts speculate that the power loss may have left the vessel unable to change course or reverse direction.
The Cuauhtémoc was safely towed away from the collision site following the incident. The Mexican Navy will likely conduct its own internal review in coordination with U.S. maritime authorities.
This tragic incident serves as a somber reminder of the dangers that can arise when large sailing vessels—especially towering training ships like the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc—navigate urban waterways under adverse conditions.
As investigations proceed, both nations are expected to collaborate closely to determine the exact causes of the accident and implement measures to prevent similar disasters in the future.
Source- BBC
