Latest news with #AméricaSánchez
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Mexican navy says ship's pilot in deadly bridge crash was from New York
The Mexican navy has said that the pilot navigating the training ship Cuauhtémoc during its Saturday night crash into the Brooklyn Bridge was New York-based. 'The ship must be controlled by a specialized harbor pilot from the New York government,' Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Angeles said at a press conference. Morales Angeles acknowledged there was not much time for the pilot to react to the situation, possibly as little as 80 to 90 seconds. Two soldiers from the Mexican navy were killed and 22 others were injured during the incident, which collapsed all three of the ship's masts. The event was captured on video by onlookers and quickly spread on social media. The dead were identified as América Sánchez, 20, from Veracruz, and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, 23, from Oaxaca. In interviews with Mexico News Daily, family members talked about Sanchez's aspirations to become a naval engineer, and Maldonado's long-held dream of following his father's path as a sailor. The ship, which had 277 people on board, was in the midst of a 254-day global goodwill tour, beginning with a 6 April departure from Acapulco, on Mexico's Pacific coast, and spent five days docked in New York City. New York police said the ship lost power as it left the harbor for Iceland, and was sucked toward the bridge by the current. The ship, at 157ft tall (48m), was unable to fit under the clearance of the Brooklyn Bridge, at 134.5ft (41m). A member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was unclear as to how police discerned the ship lost power, but said there were no structural integrity concerns related to the Brooklyn Bridge itself. Onlookers reported seeing crewmembers hanging from the ships masts and beams while awaiting rescue. A full investigation into the ship's crash is being handled by the NTSB. A preliminary report is expected to be issued in under 30 days, but the full investigation will likely take over a year.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Mexico mourns naval cadet killed when training ship collided with Brooklyn Bridge
The broken masts of the Cuauhtemoc, a masted Mexican Navy training ship, is seen after it collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) XALAPA, Mexico — Dozens of people gathered overnight in the street where one of the Mexican naval cadets who died when their training vessel hit the Brooklyn Bridge lived. América Yamilet Sánchez, 20, was in the final year of her studies at the naval academy when she was killed aboard the naval teaching vessel Cuauhtemoc on Saturday. A small crowd gathered near her home in the early hours of Tuesday, many holding white roses and their cellphones to illuminate the way for the hearse carrying her body. Naval officers accompanied her arrival around midnight at the orange painted house in Veracruz's state capital Xalapa. Sánchez was the pride of her family, a standout student and athlete, who had already distinguished herself — scoring top marks in her naval systems engineering studies. She was a squadron leader and among those selected for the special group that accompanied President Claudia Sheinbaum at her inauguration. 'I'm going to carry you in my heart. My daughter is the pride of all of Mexico, for all the world,' Cosme Sánchez said, holding a photograph of his daughter in her dress uniform. 'I'm devastated, but we're going to move forward. My daughter was an example for everyone, she's going to be remembered as she should be.' Among the flower arrangements at her family's home was one with a one with a white sash reading, 'Barracudas family, with love.' It came from the local swimming school where Sánchez learned to take her first strokes a decade ago. At the naval academy she won medals and represented the institution nationally in open water swimming competitions. A masted Mexican Navy training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, sits stranded after colliding with the Brooklyn Bridge after, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kyle Viterbo) A masted Mexican Navy training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, sits stranded after colliding with the Brooklyn Bridge after, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kyle Viterbo) Her most recent honour was being awarded a place aboard the Cuauhtemoc, which planned to visit 22 ports in 15 countries. On Saturday, she sent her parents photos, told them she loved them and spoke excitedly of the ship's next stop: Iceland. Sánchez was high in one of the Cuauhtemoc's three masts Saturday night when it slid out of its dock in New York, authorities told her family. It's a ceremonial practice to greet and pay respects entering and leaving ports. 'It's a display of discipline, skill and respect, common in training sailboats,' said her uncle, Rodolfo Hernández Sayago. 'She was the pride (of the family),' Hernández said. 'My girl stood out in everything she did.' U.S. investigators laid out a timeline Monday showing the Cuauhtemoc was underway for less than five minutes before its masts crashed into the historic span, and radio calls indicating it was in distress went out only 45 seconds before the deadly collision. With the help of a tugboat, the Cuauhtemoc backed away from a Manhattan pier filled with cheering people at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, U.S. officials said. Four minutes after the ship left, a radio call went out asking for help from any additional tugboats in the area, followed by other requests for assistance, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Young told a media briefing Monday. Forty-five seconds after the first call, the ship, struck the bridge, snapping its three masts. After a few minutes, the ship separated from the tug and picked up speed, still moving in reverse, heading for the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge escaped major damage but at least 19 of the ship's 277 sailors needed medical treatment, according to officials. Seven officers and 172 cadets who were aboard the Cuauhtemoc arrived early Monday at the port of Veracruz, where Mexico's naval school is, the Mexican navy said in a post on X. The body of the other sailor killed, 23-year-old Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, was also returned to Mexico on Monday. Alba Alemán, The Associated Press
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Photos: Candles, flowers, tears as Mexico mourns two Navy cadets killed in Brooklyn Bridge ship crash
Updated On May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST América Sánchez, 20, and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, 23, when Mexican Navy training ship Cuauhtémoc crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge. / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST / View Photos in a new improved layout Updated on May 20, 2025 11:33 PM IST
The Independent
20-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Mexico mourns naval cadet killed when training ship collided with Brooklyn Bridge
Dozens of people gathered overnight in the street where one of the Mexican naval cadets who died when their training vessel hit the Brooklyn Bridge lived. América Yamilet Sánchez, 20, was in the final year of her studies at the naval academy when she was killed aboard the naval teaching vessel Cuauhtemoc on Saturday. A small crowd gathered near her home in the early hours of Tuesday, many holding white roses and their cell phones to illuminate the way for the hearse carrying her body. Naval officers accompanied her arrival around midnight at the orange painted house in Veracruz's state capital Xalapa. Sánchez was the pride of her family, a standout student and athlete, who had already distinguished herself — scoring top marks in her naval systems engineering studies. She was a squadron leader and among those selected for the special group that accompanied President Claudia Sheinbaum at her inauguration. 'I'm going to carry you in my heart. My daughter is the pride of all of Mexico, for all the world,' Cosme Sánchez said, holding a photograph of his daughter in her dress uniform. 'I'm devastated, but we're going to move forward. My daughter was an example for everyone, she's going to be remembered as she should be.' Among the flower arrangements at her family's home was one with a one with a white sash reading, 'Barracudas family, with love.' It came from the local swimming school where Sánchez learned to take her first strokes a decade ago. At the naval academy she won medals and represented the institution nationally in open water swimming competitions. Her most recent honor was being awarded a place aboard the Cuauhtemoc, which planned to visit 22 ports in 15 countries. On Saturday, she sent her parents photos, told them she loved them and spoke excitedly of the ship's next stop: Iceland. Sánchez was high in one of the Cuauhtemoc's three masts Saturday night when it slid out of its dock in New York, authorities told her family. It's a ceremonial practice to greet and pay respects entering and leaving ports. 'It's a display of discipline, skill and respect, common in training sailboats,' said her uncle, Rodolfo Hernández Sayago. 'She was the pride (of the family),' Hernández said. 'My girl stood out in everything she did.' U.S. investigators laid out a timeline Monday showing the Cuauhtemoc was underway for less than 5 minutes before its masts crashed into the historic span, and radio calls indicating it was in distress went out only 45 seconds before the deadly collision. With the help of a tugboat, the Cuauhtemoc backed away from a Manhattan pier filled with cheering people at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, U.S. officials said. Four minutes after the ship left, a radio call went out asking for help from any additional tugboats in the area, followed by other requests for assistance, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Young told a media briefing Monday. Forty-five seconds after the first call, the ship, struck the bridge, snapping its three masts. After a few minutes, the ship separated from the tug and picked up speed, still moving in reverse, heading for the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge escaped major damage but at least 19 of the ship's 277 sailors needed medical treatment, according to officials. Seven officers and 172 cadets who were aboard the Cuauhtemoc arrived early Monday at the port of Veracruz, where Mexico's naval school is, the Mexican navy said in a post on X. The body of the other sailor killed, 23-year-old Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, was also returned to Mexico on Monday.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
What to Know About the Mexican Navy Ship That Crashed Into the Brooklyn Bridge
Two crew members aboard a Mexican Navy sailing ship died on Saturday night when the vessel drifted into the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge, smashing its masts and rigging. The ship ARM Cuauhtémoc — with 277 people on board, including 175 naval cadets — was on a good-will tour throughout the world, which included a stop in New York. At least 22 other crew members were injured in the crash, which was widely captured with harrowing videos on social media. The two who died of their injuries were a cadet, América Yamileth Sánchez Hernández, 20, and a sailor Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, 23. Rodolfo Hernández, Ms. Sánchez Hernández's uncle, told reporters on Sunday that his niece had sent photos showing her in Central Park the day before the accident. When news of her death came, he said, 'We broke down; we didn't have the strength to bear it.' What happened? It's still unclear what caused the 300-foot ship to veer off course and hit the bridge. A maritime expert told The New York Times that the Cuauhtémoc's propellers may have been running in reverse. After being briefed on the accident, Senator Charles Schumer of New York said that the ship 'did not use a tugboat's assistance' and that the tugboat 'pictured in widely posted videos was responding after the fact, not assisting before.' On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said in a news conference that the Mexican Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent U.S. agency responsible for investigating transportation accidents, were each looking into the crash to see 'if it was a mechanical cause, if it was the tugboats, if it was a human error.' What's the purpose of the ship? Since it was acquired by the Mexican government in 1982, the Cuauhtémoc has been used as a training ship for generations of cadets preparing to join the Mexican Navy. Every year, cadets embark on monthslong voyages where they learn teamwork, how to handle various weather conditions, ship maintenance and practical applications of their seafaring skills. Each trip around the world, which on average lasts 234 days, follows careful planning and prioritizes navigating the seas and oceans the old-fashioned way. That is, by sail, taking advantage of the currents and the winds. While the ship spends most of the time at sea, it often docks at different ports to resupply and engage in academic and cultural activities. What's a good-will tour? The Cuauhtémoc set sail on April 6 from Acapulco, Mexico. The purpose, according to the Mexican Navy, was 'exalting the seafaring spirit, strengthening naval education, and carrying the Mexican people's message of peace and good will to the seas and ports of the world.' The tour commemorated the 200th anniversary of a key moment in Mexican history when the Spanish left their final stronghold in Mexico. According to the Mexican Navy, New York was among 22 ports in 15 countries included in the ship's itinerary. The tour was scheduled for 254 days, with stops in cities such as Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; Aberdeen, Scotland; Avilés, Spain; Bridgetown, Barbados; and London. On the night of the incident, it was leaving New York, bound for Reykjavik, Iceland. Why were the cadets standing on the masts when the ship crashed? In viral videos of the crash, dozens of cadets were seen standing on the ship's masts with their arms wide open, secured only by harnesses, which is a traditional ritual. For the past 43 years, the Mexican Navy said, cadets have performed this gesture as a farewell to the port they are leaving. The navy said it is also how this type of boat with sails is maneuvered. This time, however, the Cuauhtémoc drifted in the wrong direction, where it was never intended to sail. How much training do the cadets have? The cadets receive training 'appropriate to their academic semester and are trained well in advance of the trip,' the Mexican Navy said. Once on the ship, it said, the cadets also take several sailing courses, which 'are necessary to maneuver a vessel of this type.' The cadets do not have any responsibility other than to study and practice seamanship, the navy said. The ship was directed by officers. Where are the ship and the cadets now? On Monday morning, Ms. Sheinbaum said the Cuauhtémoc, which remained docked at Pier 36 on the East River in Manhattan, must now be repaired, likely at a shipyard in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The Mexican Navy told The Times that the ship would have to go through a technical inspection process and that the uninjured cadets would continue their academic semester 'as soon as possible.' Early on Monday, the Navy announced that 172 cadets, a captain and six other crew members had returned to Mexico. Two cadets are still receiving medical attention in New York City, and their condition is stable.
