Officials are looking into what caused a Mexican navy tall ship to veer off course and strike the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, killing two sailors and injuring more than a dozen others on board.
The training vessel Cuauhtémoc was seen sailing toward the iconic bridge that connects Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City, according to videos shared online. The ship’s 147-foot masts, which were lit up with decorative lights, were unable to clear the arched bridge and were sheared off upon impact.
Naval cadets wearing white uniforms could be seen dangling from the ship’s crossbeams. Meanwhile, bystanders at one of the suspension bridge’s bases, near New York City’s South Street Seaport, fled in fear.
The Mexican navy reported on social media that two of the 277 passengers died and 22 were injured, including three serious injuries.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the @SEMAR_mx training ship Cuauhtémoc incident at the Brooklyn Bridge,” the U.S. ambassador in Mexico, Ronald Johnson, wrote on X.”We are closely monitoring and are in contact with the Government of Mexico via @SRE_mx to provide assistance as needed. “You have our full support.”
What caused the crash?
The cause of the collision is being investigated.
The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a “go-team” to the scene. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the navy is also investigating the cause of the crash.
According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the Cuauhtémoc lost power before colliding with the bridge at approximately 8:20 p.m. ET.As the ship collided with the bridge, decorative lights on the mast remained illuminated.
The crash occurred just over a year after the Dali, a 984-foot-long cargo ship, lost power and collided with the Key Bridge, killing six and destroying critical infrastructure.
Ship was heading in the wrong direction
According to the Mexican Consulate in New York, the training ship arrived at Pier 17 and will be open to the public for visits from May 13 to 17.
According to officials, the Cuauhtémoc sailed under the bridge instead of heading south from New York Harbor to Iceland.
The Brooklyn Bridge, a popular tourist attraction completed in 1883, sustained no major damage, according to New York City transportation officials. Following a preliminary inspection, traffic reopened in both directions.
Who are the victims?
Sheinbaum told reporters on Sunday that a female cadet and a male Marine had died as a result of their injuries. Sheinbaum reported that the injured cadets were “doing better.”
The New York Police Department reported that two of the injured remained in critical condition.
What happened to the ship?
The Coast Guard reported that the collision damaged all three of the ship’s masts.
“The Cuauhtémoc is currently moored at Pier 36 on the East River as damage assessments and future actions for the salvage plans for the vessel are being determined,” according to the Coast Guard.
Officials have established a 50-yard safety zone around the vessel, and commercial traffic has been suspended in the area.
What is Cuauhtémoc?
Cuauhtémoc is a 300-foot-long steel-hulled three-masted barque that was launched in 1982, according to a recent fact sheet from the ship’s handlers. According to the fact sheet, the ship, named after the last Aztec emperor, and its crew represent Mexico as a diplomatic symbol abroad.
