A large Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, crashed into New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, May 17 night, killing two people and injuring several others. The collision took place after the vessel is said to have lost propulsion while moving up the East River.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams identified the accident and its victims in a statement on X (previously Twitter). “Earlier this evening, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc experienced a loss of power and struck the Brooklyn Bridge. Currently, of the 277 aboard, 19 were injured, 2 of whom are in critical condition, and 2 additional individuals have unfortunately lost their lives due to injury,” he wrote.
The crash occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, with the ship’s massive 147-foot-tall masts striking the roadbed of the bridge. Two sailors were standing on top of the masts at the time, the ship having been traveling from New York to Iceland on a promotional trip, according to a New York Post story.
Witnesses reported the moment of horror as the ship seemed to be out of control. Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, who were outside watching the sun set when the ship crashed, reported to the Associated Press seeing a person hanging from the vessel. We witnessed the person suspended, and I wasn’t sure if they were just out of focus or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was a person suspended from the harness at the top for like at least like 15 minutes before they were rescued,” Katz explained.
Video clips on social media capture the dramatic scene where the ship continued drifting while its masts hit and snapped against the 142-year-old iconic bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge had no significant damage despite the collision, as cited by an AP news report.
Though Mayor Adams listed 19 injuries, the Mexican Navy Ministry issued a slightly different report, indicating 22 crew members were injured, of which 19 were given medical attention.
The crash caused traffic to come to a halt in areas of Brooklyn and Manhattan. The NYPD sent out an alert on X, calling for the public to avoid the areas. “Because of a collision investigation, avoid Brooklyn Bridge area, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn. Heavy traffic and high concentration of emergency vehicles can be expected in the nearby area,” the advisory read.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident.
