Two Dead After Mexican Navy Ship Crashes into Brooklyn Bridge

According to authorities, the ship Cuauhtémoc, carrying 277 people onboard, experienced a power failure while maneuvering near the Brooklyn side of the bridge on Saturday. This caused the vessel to crash into the bridge’s structure.

Video footage captured the moment when the ship's towering masts struck the bridge as it passed underneath. Crew members were seen standing atop the masts when they snapped and fell onto the deck below, officials reported.

A Mexican Navy training ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge.

Brooklyn local Nick Corso, who witnessed the incident, described the scene as chaotic, with panic spreading quickly. “There was a lot of screaming and sailors hanging from the broken masts,” he told AFP. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed via social media that two people died in the crash, and two of the injured remain in critical condition.

Fortunately, the Brooklyn Bridge itself sustained no significant damage and was reopened after an initial safety inspection.

Investigations suggest a mechanical failure combined with a power outage caused the collision.

The New York Coast Guard reported that the Cuauhtémoc lost all three of its masts during the accident. Thankfully, all crew members were accounted for, and no one fell into the water.

The crash caused panic along the waterfront as onlookers rushed away from the area.

Another witness, Kelvin Flores, shared with the BBC that he saw the incident unfold while at work. He described the aftermath as hectic, with emergency vehicles struggling to reach the site due to heavy traffic.

“Seeing the damage up close was shocking,” he said. “There were people carrying stretchers, trying to evacuate the injured.”

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the two crew members in the accident.

The Cuauhtémoc was subsequently towed away from the scene.

Measuring 297 feet (91 meters) in length and 40 feet (12 meters) wide, the training vessel first set sail in 1982. It serves as a training ship for the Mexican naval academy, embarking on annual voyages after cadet classes conclude.

This year, the ship departed from Acapulco on April 6, heading toward Iceland. Along its route, the vessel planned stops including Aberdeen, Scotland, where it was scheduled to participate in the Tall Ships Race in July.

The ship’s mast height was recorded at 48.2 meters (158 feet), while the Brooklyn Bridge clearance at its center is approximately 135 feet, according to New York transport authorities.

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