Two individuals have lost their lives following a collision involving a Mexican navy training ship and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Saturday, May 17.
The Cuauhtémoc, a 297-foot vessel carrying 277 individuals, made contact with the renowned bridge.
Video footage circulating online captures the moment when the ship’s masts strike the Brooklyn Bridge as it attempts to navigate beneath the structure.
Officials report that crew members were positioned on the masts when they snapped and fell onto the ship’s deck.
The incident also resulted in injuries to 19 people.
Lily Katz, who was observing the sunset when the incident occurred, shared her account with The Associated Press: “We saw someone dangling, and I couldn’t tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for like at least like 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them.”
Another eyewitness, Nick Corso, was also enjoying the sunset when he captured a photo of the ship against a picturesque backdrop. However, the scene quickly turned chaotic. He recounted to AFP the atmosphere of ‘lots of screaming, some sailors hanging from the masts’.
In the aftermath, traffic was temporarily halted on the Brooklyn Bridge, but after an inspection, authorities deemed the bridge structure undamaged, allowing it to reopen.
New York’s police chief, Wilson Aramboles, noted that the ship had departed from a Manhattan pier and was not intended to approach the bridge.
An initial report attributes the accident to a mechanical failure that caused the ship to lose power.
The masts, being too tall to pass under the Brooklyn Bridge, ultimately collapsed as the vessel attempted to reverse under the bridge.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a statement on Twitter: “Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge.
“At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries.”
“We are praying for everyone on board and their families and are grateful to our first responders who quickly jumped into action, ensuring this accident wasn’t much worse.
“Following our preliminary inspection, we can confirm that the bridge sustained no damage and is now open to the public.”
Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, also expressed her condolences: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our sympathy and support go out to their families.
“The Navy, with the support of local authorities, is currently treating the wounded. The Mexican ambassador to the United States and staff from the Mexican Consulate General in New York are supporting the Navy.
“I thank New York Mayor Eric Adams for all the support he has provided to our fellow citizens. We are monitoring the situation, and the Navy will continue to provide updates.”