On Saturday night, a Mexican Navy sailing ship named Cuauhtemoc, which was on a global goodwill tour, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The incident occurred around 8:20 PM, resulting in the snapping of the ship's three masts, and sadly, it fatally injured two crew members. Reports indicated that at least 19 people on board required medical attention following the crash.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that the 142-year-old bridge sustained no major damage. However, the two crew members who suffered more severe injuries unfortunately died later that night, as announced by Adams on social media early Sunday morning. The cause of the collision is currently under investigation.
Eyewitness accounts captured the dramatic moments before and after the incident. Several videos showed the Cuauhtemoc speeding toward the bridge, where its masts struck the main span and snapped sequentially as the vessel passed. Witnesses noted that heavy traffic was present on the bridge at the time of the incident, which sent people into a state of panic.
The ship, boasting a large green, white, and red Mexican flag and carrying a total of 277 people, drifted towards the riverbank after the collision. Many sailors were seen suspended in the rigging of the damaged masts, waiting for rescue, though remarkably, no one fell into the water, according to officials.
Accounts from spectators highlighted the chaos that ensued. One witness, Nick Corso, described the sounds of the masts snapping like a "big twig," followed by a flurry of activity as individuals began to flee the scene amidst the unfolding pandemonium. Another witness, Lily Katz, described seeing a crew member dangling from a harness for approximately 15 minutes before being rescued.
The Mexican Navy, in a statement shared on the social media platform X, identified the Cuauhtemoc as an academy training vessel. Their report indicated that a total of 22 people were injured, with 19 requiring immediate medical treatment. Despite the alarming event, traffic across the Brooklyn Bridge was allowed to resume following an inspection.
The cause of the ship's deviation from its intended path remains unclear. Chief Wilson Aramboles of the New York Police Department's Special Operations indicated that the ship had just departed from a pier in Manhattan and was supposed to be heading out to sea rather than the bridge. Preliminary reports suggest that the pilot may have experienced a mechanical failure that caused a loss of power. Eyewitnesses noted that a tugboat was nearby at the time of the collision.
The Cuauhtemoc measures approximately 297 feet long and 40 feet wide (90.5 meters long and 12 meters wide) and has been in service since its first voyage in 1982. The height of the ship's main mast reaches 160 feet (48.9 meters) tall to accommodate sails.
As midnight approached, the damaged vessel was slowly towed up the East River with the assistance of multiple tugboats, passing under the Manhattan Bridge before eventually docking at a pier. Onlookers gathered along the waterfront to witness the aftermath of the incident.
Every year, the Cuauhtemoc embarks on a journey to facilitate the training of naval cadets. This year's voyage commenced from Acapulco on the Pacific coast on April 6. After arriving in New York City on May 13, the ship received visitors for several days. The vessel's itinerary includes a total of 22 ports across 15 nations over a span of 254 days, with 170 of those days spent at sea.
