At least 22 individuals sustained injuries, with three in serious condition, following a collision between a Mexican Navy training vessel and New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge. The incident occurred on Saturday evening when the Cuauhtémoc, a sailing ship, struck the bridge while navigating beneath it.
Video footage of the incident captured the towering masts of the Cuauhtémoc making contact with the bridge. Reports indicate that pieces of the masts fell onto the ship’s deck, resulting in injuries to crew members who were positioned on the masts at the time of the accident.
Details of the incident and response
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed during a press briefing that the Brooklyn Bridge itself did not suffer any damage in the collision. Mayor Adams reassured the public that no individuals fell into the water, emphasizing that injuries were sustained due to crew members being on the masts when the collision occurred.
“Multiple injuries on board” were reported as the ship lost the tops of two masts, according to a statement from the New York Coast Guard.
Authorities confirmed that all personnel aboard the Cuauhtémoc had been accounted for, and those injured were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. The Mexican Navy acknowledged the damage to the ship and indicated that a thorough investigation into the incident is underway. While the navy reported 22 injuries, Mayor Adams noted that the number of seriously injured was four.
Crowd response and ongoing investigation
Witnesses watching the ship’s passage quickly retreated from the water’s edge as the masts collided with the bridge. In response to the situation, New York police advised residents to steer clear of the Brooklyn Bridge and surrounding areas, including South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Dumbo in Brooklyn. The police department cautioned about potential heavy traffic and a significant presence of emergency vehicles in the vicinity.
The Cuauhtémoc, which boasts a length of 297 feet and a width of 40 feet, has a crew of over 200 members. It was on a goodwill visit to New York City, having departed from the Mexican port of Acapulco on April 6 with 277 individuals on board. This ship, which first sailed in 1982, embarks on annual voyages at the conclusion of classes at the naval military school, serving as a vital component of cadets’ training.