Mexican ship crashed into Brooklyn Bridge because it lost steering during mechanical failure: sources

Yahoo

19-05-2025

A Mexican tall ship slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge because it apparently lost its steering capacity thanks to mechanical failure, sources said — a tragedy eerily reminiscent of last year's Baltimore span disaster.
Shocking footage captured the moment the Mexican Navy's 147-foot tall showboat the Cuauhatemoc struck the historic New York City bridge Saturday night, killing two crew members, injuring at least 17 other people — and leaving terrified crew members dangling and clinging for dear life from the rigging.
'There must have been a lot of frantic, 'Look out!' There had to be some pandemonium,' retired US Navy Capt. Alfred McLaren told The Post of the likely scene aboard ship.
Sources said the 43-year-old vessel was on its way to the Brooklyn waterfront to refuel before setting sail for Iceland but had plenty of diesel when it appeared to have lost its steering ability because of a mechanical malfunction and was quickly carried into the bridge by powerful East River currents.
A local harbor pilot, or mariner familiar with the East River's currents and condition, and area docking pilot, who helps navigate ships out of regional berths and docks, were involved in aiding the guiding of the vessel before the crash, well-placed sources said. At least one of the two was on board the ship at the time.
With an investigation now under way to confirm what went wrong, former US Coast Guard Lt. Henry Lipian told The Post the crew could have tried to drop anchor to try to help thwart the tragedy.
'It doesn't mean an anchor's going to work,' Lipian said. 'It might slow the ship a little bit, but it might not be enough to stop it. It's no guarantee.
'You lose your engine for whatever reason, you're at the mercy of the elements.'
Lipian said it was a 'worst-case scenario' for a crew made up largely of 'trainees' to lose power in a harbor such as New York's.
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'You only have a short distance and a relatively short period of time to react,' he said.
'If you lose power there you're in big trouble. Think about those elements. You have the wind. The wind is going to push the vessel to some extent. You're going to have the current. And the tides in the same direction as the current and whatever direction [the vessel] was traveling at before you lose power — you still have the momentum of the direction the vessel was traveling in.
'If you can't get the anchor down fast enough, it's the worst possible scenario.'
The collision bore haunting similarities to the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Six construction workers on that bridge were killed when a massive cargo ship lost power and couldn't steer, barreling into the span, which crumpled into the bay.
In that case, the ship went dark before the collision, unlike the Saturday night Brooklyn Bridge incident, during which the sailing vessel's lights continued to shine even after the crash.
Saturday's tragic accident befalling a well-regarded navy such as Mexico's left McLaren stunned.
''I've never ever heard any criticism of the Mexican Navy. I'm dumbfounded,' he said. 'It's just horrible.'
The ship carried 277 crew members and was largely used as a training vessel for navy cadets.
Peter Himler from Flatiron Communications, which is helping to put together the planned July 4, 2026, international parade of ships in New York Harbor for America's 250th anniversary, said the Cuauhtemoc was anticipated to take part in the highly anticipated event but had not yet confirmed.
The Post was aboard the ship last week for the announcement as it coasted past the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and into Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport.
Authorities said the two crew members who were killed were in the rigging on the masts that crumbled when it struck the bridge, while others fell or were injured by debris that rained down on the deck.
Mayor Eric Adams said the injured crew were taken to Bellevue Hospital.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident, did not immediately respond to a Post request for comment Sunday.
Additional reporting by Dorian Geiger