
Mexican ship Brooklyn Bridge: What we know about fatal crash so far
Social media videos of the crash showed the ship's 147-foot masts sheared off by the impact.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on X that there were nearly 300 people on board. In addition to the two sailors who died, two people are in critical condition, Adams said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.
Here's everything we know so far.
What caused Mexican Navy ship to hit Brooklyn Bridge?
The cause of the crash is under investigation, the NTSB said.
The agency said on May 18 that it was assembling a team to conduct a safety investigation into the collision.
The "multidisciplinary investigative team" that is investigating the crash includes "experts in nautical operations, marine and bridge engineering and survival factors," the NTSB said on X.
Mexico's navy supported local authorities in responding to the crash, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Adams said the ship lost power before crashing into the bridge at about 8:20 p.m. ET. The ship was reportedly traveling the wrong way before its collision, according to The New York Times and the Associated Press.
Brooklyn Bridge ship crash: Mexican ship headed the wrong way before fatal collision, reports say
Who are the Mexican Navy ship crash victims?
A total of 277 people were on board the ship when it crashed, Adams said. The Fire Department of New York said 27 people were removed for treatment.
A female cadet and a male Marine died from their injuries, Sheinbaum told reporters on Sunday. Sheinbaum said that injured cadets were "doing better."
In a post on X, Rocio Nahle Garcia, the governor of Veracruz, Mexico, identified one of the cadets killed in the crash as America Yamilet Sanchez.
2 sailors killed: Mexican Navy tall ship smashes into Brooklyn Bridge
What was the Mexican Navy Ship doing in New York?
The Cuauhtemoc ship was in New York from May 13 to 17, according to the Consulate General of Mexico in New York.
The Mexican Navy said in a press release that the ship was visiting for a training cruise called "Bicentennial of the Consolidation of Independence at Sea."
What happened to the Cuauhtemoc ship?
The Cuauhtemoc ship experienced damage on all three of its masts as a result of the collision, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The ship is "currently moored at Pier 36 on the East River as damage assessments and future actions for the salvage plans for the vessel are being determined," the Coast Guard said in a release.
What happened to the Brooklyn Bridge? Is it open?
The Brooklyn Bridge was temporarily closed in both directions after the collision, according to New York City's Emergency Management Department.
Adams said the bridge was reopened to the public as of midnight local time on May 18.
The New York City Department of Transportation had bridge inspectors on site, but said "there are no signs of structural damage" to the bridge.
Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Gabrielle Banks and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
20 hours ago
- The Independent
Six killed in small plane crash off the San Diego coast
A small plane crashed off the San Diego coast shortly after takeoff, killing all six people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday. The twin-engine Cessna 414 crashed at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, the FAA said. The plane was returning to Phoenix one day after flying out from Arizona, according to the flight tracking website The Coast Guard said searchers found a debris field later Sunday about 3 miles (about 5 kilometers) off the coast of Point Loma, a San Diego neighborhood that juts into the Pacific, U.S. Coast Guard officials. The water in the search area is about 200 feet (61 meters) deep. Although the FAA said all six people on board the plane were killed, authorities haven't identified them. The FAA said the plane is owned by vitamin and nutritional supplement maker Optimal Health Systems. But the company based in Pima, Arizona, said in a statement that it sold the plane to a group of private individuals in 2023, meaning the FAA database could be out of date. However, the company's founder, Doug Grant, said in the statement that, 'We personally know several of the passengers onboard and our sincerest condolences are offered to those affected by the tragedy, all of whom are incredible members of our small community.' The FAA referred questions about the plane's ownership to the National Transportation Safety Board, which didn't immediately provide any further details about the crash. The pilot told air traffic controllers that he was struggling to maintain his heading and climb as the plane twice turned towards shore before going back out to sea, according to audio posted by and radar data posted by FlightAware. The controller urged the pilot to climb to 4,000 feet after he reported the plane was only about 1,000 feet in the air. The controller directed the pilot to land at a nearby U.S. naval airport on Coronado Island, but the pilot said he was unable to see the airport. A short time later, the pilot repeatedly signaled the 'Mayday' distress call before controllers lost radar contact. A man who was out surfing when the plane crashed told NBC 7 in San Diego that he saw the plane come down at an angle, then climb back into the clouds before diving again and crashing into the water. 'The next time he came out of the clouds, he went straight into the water. But after I saw this splash, about six seconds later, it was dead silent. I knew that they went in the water, nose first, at a high speed," Tyson Wislofsky said. The crash comes weeks after a small Cessna crashed into a San Diego neighborhood in foggy weather and killed six people.


Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Six missing after small plane crashes off San Diego coast
The plane was headed for Phoenix and crashed soon after takeoff from San Diego Airport. Coast Guard recovery crews found a debris field and oil slick and are searching the area in a Jayhawk helicopter, plane, cutter, and two small boats. 'Our Triton vessel is currently on standby in case there is any additional need for assistance,' San Diego Fire and Rescue said. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. 'I saw him come down at an angle. He wasn't flying straight to the ground,' witness Tyson Wislofsky told NBC 7. 'The next time he came out of the clouds, he went straight into the water. But after I saw this splash, about six seconds later, it was dead silent. 'I knew that they went in the water, nose first, at a high speed.'


Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Small plane carrying six crashes in Pacific Ocean off San Diego
June 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are searching Monday for six people that were onboard a twin-engine Cessna 414 that crashed in the Pacific Ocean three miles west of San Diego. The plane crashed Sunday around 12:30 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said, off the coast of the Point Loma peninsula. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The Coast Guard said the depth of water below the debris field is reported to be approximately 200 feet.