Latest news with #NelsonSlinkard
India.com
18-05-2025
- General
- India.com
Mexican Navy Vessel Slams Into Brooklyn Bridge, Injuring Many As People Cling To Masts: Watch Shocking Video
A Mexican Navy training vessel with about 200 on board crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, sending panic into the streets and setting off a frantic search and rescue effort in the East River. The ship, the ARM Cuauhtemoc, is said to have hit the bridge around 9 p.m., when a giant 147-foot mast on the ship collided with the lower part of the famous bridge. The collision has been referred to by authorities as a mass casualty incident, with several injuries and at least two in critical condition, according to initial news reports by The New York Post and The Mirror. Casualties And Emergency Response Emergency teams were sent to the area right away, and victims are now being brought to the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Those who were severely injured are being taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The authorities have not officially stated the total number of people injured. The Cuauhtemoc, a steel-hulled tall ship belonging to the Mexican Navy and utilised for training, was traveling south on the East River at the time of the incident. The motive for being there and the route that took it under the bridge are still under investigation. Videos Of The Incident Go Viral A dramatic video of the instant that the ship hit the bridge has streamed on social media, with the vessel's mast crashing into the lower part of the bridge as onlookers stood in awe. A X (formerly Twitter) user posted, "Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag." Another blog post called the accident a "giant pirate ship" crashing into the bridge, and a third participant called it a "dazzling modern metaphor" since the ship, "blaring Mexican music and flying a massive Mexican flag," was dented by the Brooklyn Bridge. Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag — Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025 About The Vessel The ARM Cuauhtemoc, launched in 1982 and constructed in Bilbao, Spain, is a sail training ship employed by the Mexican Navy to train cadets in seamanship and navigation. The vessel is famous for its international goodwill voyages and attendance at maritime festivals worldwide. Bridge Damage And Investigation Authorities are now evaluating the strength of the Brooklyn Bridge's structure. No damage has so far been reported to the main road, though the full extent of the collision's effect on the bridge's lower deck and sea routes is still under assessment. Incident Brings Back Memories Of Baltimore Bridge Collapse The accident has been compared to the March 2024 Baltimore bridge collapse, in which a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six maintenance workers and causing a 1.6-mile-long span to collapse. That tragedy led to increased attention on maritime safety procedures and infrastructure weakness. Next Steps The investigation is being conducted by the US Coast Guard, New York City emergency responders, and officials from the Mexican Consulate. Maritime safety officials are also examining the conditions under which the tall ship was navigated underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, which has a vertical clearance of about 127 feet at mean high water. No official announcement has been issued by the Mexican Navy, although updates are to be expected as the inquiry continues.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Terrified witnesses describe ‘scary' moment Mexican navy tall ship crashed into Brooklyn Bridge, injuring 19: ‘A lot of people were crying'
Terrified witnesses recalled hearing the deafening sound of screams as a massive Mexican navy tall ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday night during a goodwill visit to the Big Apple. 'We were celebrating and we were saying goodbye and singing,' said Ismari Romero, 43, who witnessed the terrifying incident from Pier 17 with her sister and other Mexicans who wanted to welcome the ship to the Big Apple and 'make them feel like home.' 'We were all joyful, and they departed. And when they reached the Brooklyn Bridge, I believe they hit the bridge and the top collapsed. We were very scared. A lot of people were screaming, a lot of people were crying. They're like, 'How is this happening? How is this possible?'' Advertisement 4 The Mexican Navy tall ship sits in the East River after crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, 2025. Nelson Slinkard via Storyful 4 Injured crew and passengers are transported after being rescued off the ship on May 17, 2025. James Keivom The colossal Cuauhtémoc – manned by a crew of 277 largely made up of cadets – lost power, drifted in reverse and slammed its towering masts into the roadbed around 8:30 p.m. Officials said 19 were injured, four seriously. Advertisement Two sailors were on top of one of the 147-foot masts when it struck the bridge – which has a max clearance of 135 feet. Matt Tibbitts was on the ferry heading from Dumbo to Williamsburg with friends when he was struck with the horrifying thought that the vessel wasn't going to clear the bridge. 'The people around us were kind of like, 'oh, I think that's too tall,' and then you turn and immediately just see it snap,' he said. 4 An NYPD boat pulls up on the damaged boat after the crash. Getty Images Advertisement 4 NYPD personnel work to rescue crew members from the boat. William Miller 'It's kind of surreal to see, a little scary for everyone involved. Luckily we were on the ferry a couple hundred feet ahead, so we weren't concerned for our safety but we were concerned for the people we could see. You saw some people taking some big falls off those masts and I'm sure that's a scary experience for them and we wanted to make sure they're ok,' he continued. 'It could've been a lot worse. It's a scary thing to witness that close.' Officials said 19 people were injured – four critically – including crew members. Advertisement 'The boat was coming under the bridge, and there were sailors on top of the boat, the sails hit the bridge and then people were falling off of the boat sails,' said Elijah West, who witnessed the chilling crash at Brooklyn Bridge Park. 'It was crazy. We were standing under the bridge and we all started running. Then I saw people hanging from the sails. Police boats came around fast — about five minutes later. And then police guided the boat to the (Manhattan) bridge and started the rescue. It was a shock.'
NDTV
18-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
Video: Mexican Navy Ship Hits New York's Brooklyn Bridge, People Seen Hanging On To Masts
Multiple videos have gone viral showing a Mexican navy sailing ship hitting the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, and injuring 22 people on Saturday. The videos showed the top of the ship's three masts slamming into the iconic bridge and partially collapsing as the boat floated in the East River. In one of the videos, the masts could be seen snapping and partially collapsing as they crashed into the deck of the bridge. Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag — Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025 In an absolutely stunning modern metaphor a ship blaring Mexican music and flying a massive Mexican flag just got destroyed by the Brooklyn bridge. Can't make it up — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 18, 2025 Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag — Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025 Visuals on social media also showed people hanging on to the masts. 'We saw someone dangling, and I couldn't tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for like at least like 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them,' a witness told The Associated Press. The Mexican navy said that the Cuauhtemoc, about 297 feet long and 40 feet wide academy training vessel, was damaged in an accident with the Brooklyn Bridge that prevented it from continuing its voyage. In a post on X, it said 22 crew members were injured, of whom three have serious injuries. 'The Secretary of the Navy renews its commitment to the safety of personnel, transparency in its operations and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Armada,' it wrote in Spanish. The ship reportedly sets out every year at the end of classes at the naval military school to finish cadets' training. This year, it left the Mexican port of Acapulco on April 6 with 277 people onboard, and was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 nations, including Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; Cozumel, Mexico; and New York. It had also planned to go to Reykjavik, Iceland; Bordeaux, Saint Malo and Dunkirk, France; and Aberdeen, Scotland, among others, for a total of 254 days, 170 of them at sea.
