A towering Mexican Navy training sailing ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, killing two persons and injuring nineteen more.
According to police, the Cuauhtémoc, which was carrying 277 passengers, lost power on Saturday as the skipper was maneuvering the ship, causing it to make its way to the Brooklyn side bridge abutment.
According to police, the masts broke and fell to the deck as crew members were standing on them.
Nick Corso, a Brooklyn resident who saw the collision, claimed that pandemonium broke out in the neighborhood. When he informed AFP that there was “lots of screaming, some sailors hanging from the masts,”
Two fatalities and two critically injured individuals were verified by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on X.
Following a preliminary examination, Brooklyn Bridge was reopened with no significant damage.
According to police, the collision was caused by “mechanical issues” and a power outage.
The Cuauhtémoc lost all three masts, according to the New York Coast Guard. No one had fallen into the ocean, and every member of the ship’s crew had been accounted for.
As the ship struck the bridge, crowds scurried from the water’s edge.
Kelvin Flores, another witness, told the BBC that he witnessed the incident while he was at work.
When he emerged into the street, he saw “commotion and a lot of chaos” as police and fire engines attempted to arrive at the site but were unable to do so due to the heavy traffic.
“Just seeing the actual damage was insane,” he stated. “People carrying stretchers… they were trying to get the injured out.”
Following the collision, the Cuauhtémoc was towed away from the scene.
According to the Mexican navy, the ship is 40 feet (12 meters) broad and 297 feet (91 meters) long. It made its first voyage in 1982.
It departs annually to complete the training of cadets at the naval military school at the conclusion of classes.
According to the navy, it departed the Mexican port of Acapulco on April 6 this year. Iceland was to be its ultimate destination.
The Cuauhtémoc’s mast height, according to the police, was 48.2 meters (158 feet). According to the website of the New York Transportation Department, the bridge’s center has a clearance of 135 feet.
Mexican President says she is “saddened” by “unfortunate accident”
The families of the two crew members killed when a Mexican Navy sailing ship crashed the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday received condolences from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“We are extremely saddened by the deaths of two Cuauhtémoc Training Ship crew members who perished in the tragic accident in New York Harbor. We send our condolences and support to their families,” Sheinbaum wrote in an early Sunday post on X.
According to Sheinbaum, the Mexican Consulate General and Ambassador to the United States are assisting the Mexican Navy in aiding individuals hurt in the event.
“The Secretary of the Navy will continue to provide updates, and we are keeping an eye on the situation,” she continued.
Following the Cuauhtémoc’s impact on the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday, New York officials and Mexico’s envoy were present. At the time of the event, the ship was leaving for Iceland after spending time in New York as part of a global goodwill trip.
More than 100 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene, NYFD says
The NYFD stated that it was notified that a ship had collided with the bridge at approximately 8:39 p.m. on Saturday.
In an FDNY post on X, Chief of Training Michael Meyers stated, “As soon as the marine units arrived on the scene, we knew, initially, we knew immediately that we had a serious incident with a boat striking the bridge.”
Marine units were supporting the emergency response, and two command posts were established on the Manhattan and Brooklyn banks of the river, according to Meyers.
The department informed that 106 firefighters and emergency medical personnel from 25 units had been deployed.
“Everyone got off that ship safely thanks to the amazing cooperation of the police, fire, and EMS,” Meyers added.
The cause of the crash is still being looked into.
