Two people were killed and 17 others injured when a Mexican Navy training ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, causing panic and halting festivities planned aboard the iconic vessel.
The ship, Cuauhtémoc, renowned for its ceremonial voyages and towering 147-foot masts, collided with the landmark bridge while departing New York for Iceland. Videos on social media captured the moment the masts snapped upon impact with the bridge’s arch, sending parts crashing onto the deck.
“This is a heartbreaking accident involving one of our guests,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement early Sunday. “Two lives were lost. Two others remain in critical condition. We are working closely with Mexican authorities to support the victims and their families.”
According to the Mexican Navy, 277 people were on board when the vessel crashed. A total of 22 sustained injuries, with 19 receiving hospital care, including three in serious condition. No one fell into the water, officials confirmed.
Mechanical failure suspected
A New York police official said preliminary investigations point to a likely mechanical malfunction, although no further details have been released. Witnesses near South Street Seaport reported screams and confusion as the ship, its lights still glowing, veered off course.
Naval cadets in full dress uniforms could be seen clinging to the ship’s rigging after the crash. “It was chaos,” said Jordan Thompson, a bystander who filmed the incident. “People were running. You could hear the metal tearing.”
According to city transportation officials, the historic Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883 and once the world’s longest suspension bridge, sustained no significant damage. Traffic in both directions resumed after safety checks.
Ship was open to the public
The Cuauhtémoc, named after the last Aztec emperor, had been docked in New York as part of a goodwill tour co-hosted by the South Street Seaport Museum. Built in 1981 in Bilbao, Spain, the ship serves as a floating classroom for Mexican naval cadets.
The vessel’s New York stop was scheduled to end Saturday evening with a departure ceremony and a voyage to Reykjavik, Iceland.
Mexico’s foreign ministry said its ambassador in Washington was coordinating with U.S. officials to assist injured cadets and manage the aftermath of the accident.
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