Mexican Navy Ship Collides with Brooklyn Bridge, Injuring 19 People

A Mexican navy ship on a global training tour collided with the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, leaving 19 people injured, including four seriously, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The incident occurred as the Cuauhtémoc, a tall sailing ship, passed beneath the iconic bridge on the East River, snapping multiple masts and causing a major response from emergency teams.

Cuauhtémoc’s Masts Snap on Impact

The Mexican navy ship Brooklyn Bridge collision took place during peak weekend traffic. The top of the Cuauhtémoc’s masts scraped the underside of the bridge, with videos showing sections of the tall rigging crashing down onto the deck.

Eyewitnesses described chaos on the water and ashore:

“We saw someone dangling from a harness for at least 15 minutes before they were rescued,” said Lily Katz, who was watching the sunset when the collision occurred.

Multiple people were removed from the ship by stretcher and transported via small rescue boats.

Brooklyn Bridge Spared Major Structural Damage

Despite the dramatic collision, officials said the Brooklyn Bridge sustained no major damage. However, the crash caused heavy traffic backups and drew a large crowd of stunned onlookers.

Built in 1883, the bridge sees more than 100,000 vehicles and 32,000 pedestrians cross daily. It remains a major tourist landmark and critical transit link in New York City.

Mexican Navy Confirms Ship Damage

In a post on social media platform X, the Mexican navy confirmed that the Cuauhtémoc was “damaged in an accident with the Brooklyn Bridge” and could not continue its training voyage as scheduled.

The navy said it is reviewing the status of personnel and equipment, and that it remains committed to safety, training, and transparency.

The Cuauhtémoc, first launched in 1982, is a 90.5-metre long, 12-metre wide tall ship used for naval cadet training. It left Acapulco on April 6 with 277 people onboard and was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 countries.

What Happens Next?

The vessel remains docked while both Mexican and U.S. authorities investigate the cause of the crash. It is unclear if the rest of the Cuauhtémoc’s 254-day voyage will proceed as originally planned.

Officials have not confirmed if weather, navigation error, or bridge clearance miscalculation played a role in the accident.

Do you think large international vessels should face stricter clearance checks before entering congested urban waterways? Share your thoughts below.

More…

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mexican-ship-new-york-city-brooklyn-bridge-crash-1.7538184
• https://abcnews.go.com/US/mexican-navy-sailboat-crashes-brooklyn-bridge-multiple-injuries/story?id=121916044
• https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/mexican-tall-ship-strikes-brooklyn-bridge-snapping-masts-and-injuring-sailors/article_33996917-11f0-55f7-a7a5-5bbd86d1e7ce.html