19-05-2025
What happened when the Mexican Navy ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two
A Mexican Navy tall ship called the Armada de la República Mexicana (ARM) Cuauhtémoc struck the Brooklyn Bridge at about 8:24 p.m. EST Saturday, May 17 killing two sailors and injuring over a dozen more.
Though the precise cause isn't yet known, the ship was moving backward along the East River in New York after departing from the South Street Seaport as it collided with the Brooklyn Bridge.
All three of the ship's masts, which were decorated with string lights, collided with the bridge and were sheared off upon impact. The Brooklyn Bridge sustained no structural damage.
How the Brooklyn Bridge crash unfolded:
From a May 19 briefing from the NTSB:
Around 8:20 p.m., May 17: The ship began backing away from Pier 17 with assistance from a tugboat. The intent was to sail south, down the East River, and head for sea.
A preliminary weather report describes the current was flowing toward the bridge at about 0.3 knots. Westerly winds were blowing at about 10 knots. The ship's speed increased to about 6 knots by the time it collided with the bridge.
8:24 p.m.: As it was moving toward the bridge, the ship called for tugboats in the area to assist via VHF radio, followed by two more requests for help.8:24:45: The ship's masts collided with the bridge.
Of the 277 on board, two were killed and 22 were injured, including three who were seriously hurt, the Mexican Navy said on social media.
Videos shared online from bystanders showed Naval cadets dressed in white uniforms dangling from their harnesses on the damaged masts and the ship's crossbeams.
8:27: The vessel came to a stop. 8:30 NYPD and FDNY were on scene.
"The Cuauhtémoc 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 U.S. Coast Guard said.
The NTSB requests anyone who has video of the incident to email witness@ to assist with its investigation.
What ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge?
The Cuauhtémoc is a 300-foot-long, steel-hulled three-masted barque launched in 1982, according to a recent fact sheet from the ship's handlers. The ship, named after the last Aztec emperor, and its crew are a diplomatic symbol of Mexico abroad, according to the fact sheet.
The vessel was a training ship for the Mexican Navy and had docked in New York from May 13-17. It had planned to head south from New York Harbor toward Iceland on a mission of carrying 'the message of peace and goodwill of the Mexican people to the seas and ports of the world.'
Its mission, called the "Consolidation of the Independence of Mexico 2025," began April 6, and the ship was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 nations over the course of 254 days. Prior to landing in New York, it had visited Kingston, Jamaica, Havana, Cuba and Cozumel, Mexico.
Where is the Brooklyn Bridge?
How many people died in the Brooklyn Bridge accident?
A female cadet and a male Marine died from their injuries, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters on Sunday. The two victims have been identified as 20-year-old América Sánchez and 23-year-old Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos.
The injured personnel were transported to local hospitals in Manhattan to receive care, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
According to the U.S. National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), the city of New York helped transport 179 crew members out of the country while about 94 are still living and working on board the ship.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the @SEMAR_mx training ship Cuauhtémoc incident at the Brooklyn Bridge," the U.S. ambassador in Mexico, Ronald Johnson, said in a post on X. "We are monitoring closely and are in touch with the Government of Mexico via @SRE_mx to provide support as necessary. You have our full support."
Why did the ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge?
The NTSB is actively investigating the incident and has declined to provide any probable cause of the crash at this time. The agency will preliminary report after 30 days, and that the entire investigation could take 12-24 months, said an NTSB representative at a May 19 press conference.
Contributing: Gabrielle Banks and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY; Reuters
