18-05-2025
Stunning details revealed as Brooklyn Bridge tragedy reminds horror of Baltimore Bridge collision
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered her condolences to kin of the two crew members who lost their lives after Mexican Navy sailing ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday.
'We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our sympathy and support go out to their families,' Sheinbaum wrote in a post on X on Sunday.
She further said that the Mexican Consulate General and Ambassador to the United States are assisting the Mexican Navy in aiding individuals injured in the event. The ship, which was in New York as part of a global goodwill trip, was heading to Iceland at the time of the tragedy.
'We are monitoring the situation, and the Secretary of the Navy will continue to provide updates,' Sheinbaum added.
The Cuauhtémoc ship comprises a three-masted barque with a steel hull that is approximately 300 feet long and 160 feet tall, as per a news release.
Records from the government indicate that the Brooklyn Bridge has a 127-foot navigational clearance.
The Heroic Naval Military School, a top military college in Mexico, used the Cuauhtémoc sailing ship for training.
Mexico described the ship as a diplomatic symbol of its nation overseas.
Also Read: Viral video shows how New Yorkers joy turned into horror when Mexican ship hit Brooklyn Bridge: 'My hands are shaking'
According to a transportation expert who spoke to CNN, the voyage data recorder from the Mexican Navy ship will yield crucial details about what went wrong.
The data recorder will probably give detectives details about the ship's mechanics, including any 'control input,' as well as when power could have blown out, according to Mary Schiavo, as per former inspector general at the US Department of Transportation. Additionally, it might offer details about the river itself, such its depth and currents.
Schiavo further stated that the investigators might already possess the data and it could be in the process of examining it. According to her, they will have to investigate whether there was ever a breakdown in communication.
As the US agency is accustomed to conducting extensive, global investigations, Schiavo announced that Mexico will be a part of the National Transportation Safety Board's probe into the tragedy.
The Brooklyn Bridge tragedy occurred only sixteen months after a huge cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024.
The 1.6-mile structure collapsed as a result of the catastrophe, sending vehicles and people into the icy lake below. Six construction workers were killed when the Singaporean-flagged cargo ship, Dali, lost power, swerved off course, and crashed into the bridge.
