Overview of the Incident
On Saturday, a tragic accident occurred when the Mexican Navy’s training ship Cuauhtémoc collided with the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The collision resulted in two fatalities and left four others critically injured among the 277 people on board.
Reactions and Statements
New York City Mayor Eric Adams reported that 19 individuals suffered injuries, with two in critical condition and two unfortunately losing their lives due to their wounds. The Mexican Secretary of the Navy confirmed 22 crew members were injured, with three sustaining “significant” injuries.
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed her condolences on social media for the loss of two crew members: “We deeply regret the tragic deaths of two members of the Cuauhtémoc’s crew in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our solidarity and support go to their families.”
Details of the Accident
The accident took place when the ship’s masts struck the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of New York City’s most famous tourist attractions. Earlier, hundreds of onlookers had cheered and applauded the Mexican vessel as it prepared to set sail from a Manhattan pier, with mariners on the riggings and illuminated yards.
Eyewitness Arturo Acatitla, a New York resident, described the incident: “We were saying goodbye to some of the boys who were leaving… The ship had already set sail from the pier… Suddenly, they crashed into the bridge, and all the sailors fell down.”
“Incident” During Departure
Local authorities reported that the ship lost power shortly after departing from the pier as it headed out to open water around 8:20 PM local time.
NYPD Special Operations Chief Wilson Aramboles explained, “I imagine the ship lost power and was swept by the current towards the pillar of the bridge on the other side of the river.” He added that there were a couple of sailors on the upper part of the masts at the time of impact and that they were injured.
The Mexican Navy’s statement on social media detailed the incident: “During the Cuauhtémoc’s training voyage departure in New York, an incident occurred with the Brooklyn Bridge causing damage to the Buque Escuela, currently preventing further instructional cruise.”
According to the Navy, no items fell into the water, so rescue operations were not required. The Brooklyn Bridge remained closed for about 40 minutes following the collision but eventually reopened with no signs of structural damage.
Key Questions and Answers
- What happened during the accident? The Cuauhtémoc collided with the Brooklyn Bridge’s base when its masts struck it, resulting in two fatalities and four critically injured crew members.
- How many people were on board the ship? There were 277 people aboard the Cuauhtémoc when the accident occurred.
- What are the current conditions of the injured? Nineteen crew members suffered injuries, with two in critical condition and two sadly losing their lives.
- What was the ship’s itinerary? The Cuauhtémoc was on an annual training voyage, with its next stop scheduled to be Islandia after visiting New York.
