Mexican Navy ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge, two dead.
New York, US:
The Mexican Navy training ship Cuauhtemoc, which measures 297 feet (91m) in length and 40 feet (12m) in width, sailed for the first time in 1982. Each year, it sets sail at the end of naval military school classes to complete cadets’ training. This year, the vessel had departed from the port of Acapulco, Mexico, on April 6, with its final destination intended to be Iceland, according to the Mexican Navy.
On Saturday night, while the captain was manoeuvring the vessel, it lost power at around 8:20 pm (local time), forcing it to head toward the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side, New York police chief of special operations Wilson Aramboles said during a press conference.
The vessel’s 45m (147ft) masts were too tall to pass through the arched Brooklyn Bridge, which, according to the New York transport department’s website, has a 135ft clearance at its centre.
Upon collision with the New York City landmark, the ship snapped all three of its masts, killing two people and injuring 19 others.
“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,” Mayor Eric Adams posted on X.
Footage shared online showed the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtemoc with its sails furled, adorned with festive lights and flags draped in its rigging, and an enormous Mexican flag waving off its stern. The ship was passing through the East River as hundreds of cheering spectators gathered to bid it farewell. Several sailors at the top of the ship were injured when it crashed into the bridge, Aramboles said. It is not clear if these sailors are among the dead.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said Saturday she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of two crew members from a navy ship after it crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtemoc Training Ship,” she posted on social media..
Two people have been killed and 19 others injured after a tall Mexican Navy training sailing ship crashed into New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge.
The Cuauhtémoc, with 277 people on board, lost power on Saturday while the captain was manoeuvring the vessel, forcing it toward the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side, police said.
Footage shows the ship’s towering masts clipping the bridge as it passed under the structure. Authorities reported that crew members were standing on the masts as they snapped and fell to the deck.
Brooklyn resident Nick Corso, who witnessed the accident, said the area erupted in panic. “There was lots of screaming, some sailors hanging from the masts,” he told AFP.
A tragic accident occurred in New York City when the Mexican navy’s training vessel, Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, leading to the deaths of two people and injuring 19 others, two of whom are in critical condition. NYC Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the fatalities on X (formerly Twitter).
The New York Police believe that mechanical issues and a power cut led to the collision. The New York Coast Guard reported that the Cuauhtémoc lost all three of its masts in the crash. Fortunately, all personnel aboard were accounted for, and no one fell into the water.
The incident caused panic among onlookers. Crowds fled from the water’s edge as the ship struck the bridge. Kelvin Flores, a witness, described the aftermath to the BBC: “There was a lot of commotion and chaos,” he said, noting that emergency vehicles were delayed by traffic. “Just seeing the actual damage was insane. People carrying stretchers… they were trying to get the injured out.”
Despite the impact, the Brooklyn Bridge sustained no major damage and was reopened following a preliminary inspection.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the two crew members.
The Cuauhtémoc, a 297-foot-long (91m) and 40-foot-wide (12m) vessel with a mast height of 48.2m (158ft), first sailed in 1982. It is used annually for cadets’ final training after classes at Mexico’s naval military school. This year, it departed Acapulco on 6 April, with Iceland as its intended final destination.
According to the New York transport department , the Brooklyn Bridge has a clearance of 135 feet (41.1m) at its center, significantly lower than the ship’s tallest mast, making a collision likely if the ship was unable to stop or alter course.
The Cuauhtémoc was later towed from the scene.