Mexican navy tall ship collides with Brooklyn Bridge, masts broken, crew injured
AP:
A Mexican navy training ship preparing to depart New York for a goodwill tour to Iceland collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, breaking its three masts and injuring several sailors. Some crew members were left suspended in harnesses high above the deck as emergency services responded.
Mayor Eric Adams reported that at least 19 individuals required medical attention, including four with serious injuries. Despite the severity of the collision, the 142-year-old Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer significant structural damage. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident.
The vessel, named Cuauhtémoc, was seen in videos rapidly approaching the bridge from the Brooklyn side of the East River. Its tall masts struck the span one after another, breaking off as the ship continued moving forward. Traffic was heavy on the bridge at the time, according to witnesses.
Flying a large Mexican flag, the ship carried 277 people on board. After the impact, it drifted toward the riverside piers while bystanders moved away. Several sailors remained aloft in the rigging but, according to officials, no one fell into the water.
Eyewitnesses Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told the Associated Press they had been watching the sunset when the ship hit the bridge. Katz said she saw someone hanging from the rigging for about 15 minutes before being rescued.
Another witness, Nick Corso, 23, had been recording the scene on his phone when he heard what he described as the sound of large branches snapping. Chaos followed both onshore and aboard the ship, with multiple people seen dangling from the broken masts.
According to a post by the Mexican navy on social media platform X, the Cuauhtémoc is used as a training vessel for naval cadets. They stated that 22 people were injured, with 19 receiving medical care. Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry added that its ambassador and local consular officials are coordinating with U.S. authorities to provide support.
The Brooklyn Bridge, a major New York City landmark since its opening in 1883, spans nearly 1,600 feet and is crossed daily by over 100,000 vehicles and tens of thousands of pedestrians. Following the incident, traffic was temporarily halted but later resumed after an initial inspection deemed the structure safe.
The Cuauhtémoc, approximately 297 feet long and 40 feet wide, first set sail in 1982. Its main mast stands 160 feet tall. After the collision, a tugboat secured the vessel between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
The ship had left Acapulco on April 6 as part of its annual voyage to complete the training of naval cadets. According to the Mexican consulate, it arrived in New York on May 13 and was docked at Pier 17, open for public visits through May 17.
This year’s tour includes stops at 22 ports across 15 countries, such as Kingston, Havana, Cozumel, Reykjavik, Bordeaux, Saint Malo, Dunkirk, and Aberdeen. The entire journey is expected to last 254 days, with 170 days at sea.