Tragedy struck on Saturday evening when a towering Mexican Navy training sailboat, Cuauhtémoc, crashed into New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people and injuring at least 19 others. The vessel, part of a goodwill visit to the US, reportedly lost power moments before the collision.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the incident in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries.”
The Cuauhtémoc, a 297-foot-long and 40-foot-wide training ship, was passing beneath the Brooklyn Bridge when its towering masts clipped the structure, causing part of the rigging and mast sections to fall onto the deck. Footage circulating online shows the ship’s masts striking the bridge as horrified onlookers scattered from the nearby waterfront.
Authorities said several crew members had been standing on the masts during the collision. No one fell into the water, and all personnel were accounted for, according to the New York Coast Guard.
The New York Police Department’s Chief of Operations said early findings suggest that mechanical issues and a sudden power failure caused the ship to veer off course and hit one of the bridge’s pillars.
Emergency responders were quickly dispatched to the scene. The injured were transported to local hospitals, and the bridge, although impacted, suffered no major structural damage. Nonetheless, city police urged residents to avoid the area around Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn due to ongoing emergency operations and heavy traffic.
The Cuauhtémoc was later towed away from the crash site. Built in 1982, the tall ship is a symbolic training vessel of the Mexican Navy. It sets sail annually from Acapulco at the end of naval cadets’ academic year as part of their final sea training. This year’s voyage, which began on April 6, had planned stops in various countries, with Iceland listed as the final destination.
Mexico’s navy said it is conducting an internal investigation into the incident. Earlier, it had reported that 22 people were injured, but revised figures were later confirmed by U.S. authorities.
Chioma Kalu
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