A Mexican naval training vessel struck the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening, triggering panic along the East River as hundreds looked on in disbelief.
A massive sail-powered ship operated by the Mexican navy collided with the iconic New York landmark after reportedly losing power while backing away from Pier 17, leaving two dead and at least 19 others injured, including several critically, as the Daily Mail reports.
The tall ship Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican training vessel built in 1981, was attempting to leave lower Manhattan just before 8:30 p.m. when the impact occurred. The ship had completed a public exhibition docked near the South Street Seaport and was scheduled to continue its voyage toward Iceland. With masts reaching up to 147 feet, the Cuauhtémoc stood taller than the Brooklyn Bridge’s 135-foot clearance. As the vessel moved in reverse, it collided with the underside of the bridge, snapping its masts and scattering debris onto the deck below.
The violent collision sent parts of the ship’s structure -- including large wooden beams, cables, fixtures, and sail cloth -- crashing down. Witness accounts describe scenes of horror, with naval cadets suspended from damaged rigging and others being thrown through the air. At the time of the incident, 277 individuals were on board, according to Mayor Eric Adams. In a message posted online, he confirmed that 19 sustained injuries during the incident, and two later died from their wounds.
Emergency crews from the NYPD Harbor and Scuba units as well as city fire personnel responded rapidly. Despite the severity and chaos on deck, no one was thrown into the East River, police confirmed. All injuries occurred on board the ship itself.
Among the most harrowing moments reported by bystanders were the sights of sailors dangling in the aftermath. Spectators watched as crew members in white uniforms clung to what was left of the mangled rigging high above the deck. One witness, Lily Katz, described using her phone to zoom in on a person hanging from a harness for about 15 minutes. “We saw someone dangling, and I couldn't tell if it was just blurry or my eyes,” she said. “There was someone dangling from the top for what felt like an eternity before they were rescued.”
Another bystander, Nick Corso, 23, likened the surreal scene to something out of a film. “I didn’t know what to think,” he said, describing the sound as “like the loud snapping of a big twig” and speaking of the sense of pandemonium that followed.
City officials believe a mechanical issue led to the crash, with Mayor Adams stating that the vessel lost power while attempting to reverse. A police official also noted suspected mechanical failure but did not elaborate on the nature of the problem. Videos taken by onlookers show the Cuauhtémoc creeping backward before its tallest mast violently crumples against the bridge’s lower deck. These clips, circulated widely on social media, document the moment passengers began to fall and climb for safety.
The vessel had been on a goodwill journey, flying the Mexican flag as part of an educational and cultural exchange tour. The ship had recently opened its decks for public visits in New York Harbor in collaboration with the South Street Seaport Museum.
Fortunately, the Brooklyn Bridge reported no significant structural damage as a result of the impact. Traffic was briefly halted in both directions but resumed around 10:30 p.m., less than two hours after the initial crash. The historic bridge, a symbol of New York City since its completion in 1883, has a known clearance limitation that posed a challenge for the towering Cuauhtémoc. The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of clearance protocols for large ships navigating under city landmarks.
Officials have not stated why the vessel attempted to reverse beneath a clearance it could not safely navigate, especially while dealing with an apparent loss of engine functionality.
In the aftermath, Mexico’s foreign ministry confirmed that the country’s ambassador to the United States and diplomatic officials were providing assistance to injured cadets and coordinating with local emergency services. The Cuauhtémoc was first commissioned in 1981 out of Spain and is widely regarded as a symbol of naval pride in Mexico. It is used both to train cadets and to represent Mexico in international maritime events.
Saturday night’s accident marks a serious setback for the voyage and casts new attention on the nautical and safety procedures followed during port departures in major urban environments like New York. Authorities have opened an investigation into the collision, and further details about mechanical failures or command decisions that led to the crash have yet to be disclosed.
