The Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc, a towering 270-foot-long vessel with 147-foot masts, crashed into the iconic Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, reportedly after losing power, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD). The incident, which occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m., left two sailors dead and 17 others injured, including four in critical condition.
The Cuauhtémoc, known as the "Ambassador and Knight of the Seas," is a training vessel for the Mexican Navy, carrying a crew of 277, the majority of whom are cadets from the Heroica Escuela Naval Militar. The ship, which had recently been participating in a goodwill tour along the East Coast, appeared to lose control as it moved backward, its towering masts slamming into the roadbed of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the massive steel and wood masts cracked and splintered upon impact, sending pieces of rigging and debris into the water and onto the deck. Two sailors were on top of one of the masts when it struck the bridge, and they reportedly fell nearly 100 feet onto the deck below, suffering fatal injuries.
Rescue teams from the NYPD and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) rushed to the scene, pulling injured sailors from the ship and transporting them to nearby hospitals. Four of the injured crew members are said to be in critical condition, while others suffered fractures, head trauma, and severe cuts.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Mexican Navy expressed deep sorrow for the loss of life and injuries, emphasizing that the ship’s crew is like a family and that the incident has deeply affected the entire naval community. "The Cuauhtémoc is a symbol of Mexican pride, and this tragedy has shaken us to our core," the statement read.
Investigators are now working to determine the exact cause of the power loss that led to the crash. Preliminary reports suggest that a mechanical failure may have disabled the ship’s propulsion system, leaving it at the mercy of the strong East River currents. However, some experts have also raised concerns about whether the crew had sufficient experience navigating such a large vessel in the crowded and fast-moving waters around New York Harbor.
The Coast Guard and the NYPD Harbor Unit have begun a joint investigation into the incident, which will include a thorough inspection of the ship’s systems and interviews with the crew. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also expected to take part in the inquiry.
As the investigation continues, the Mexican Navy has pledged full cooperation with U.S. authorities and has promised to provide support to the families of the deceased and injured sailors.
The Brooklyn Bridge, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn and is one of the oldest and most iconic suspension bridges in the United States, was closed to traffic for several hours following the crash as engineers assessed the damage. No structural damage to the bridge itself has been reported, but authorities have warned that repairs to the masts and rigging of the Cuauhtémoc could take weeks or even months.
The incident has cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a celebratory tour for the Cuauhtémoc, which has served as a floating symbol of Mexican culture and naval excellence for more than four decades.
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