Fatal Collision of Mexican Navy Ship with Brooklyn Bridge Under Investigation

An investigation is underway following the tragic crash of a Mexican Navy ship into the Brooklyn Bridge, leading to two fatalities and multiple injuries.

Authorities in New York are conducting an intensive investigation into the fatal incident involving a Mexican Navy training vessel that collided with the Brooklyn Bridge. The crash occurred on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of two individuals on board and injuring at least 19 others. Early findings indicate that the ship lost power prior to the collision. Eyewitness videos captured the dramatic moment when the ship's towering masts collapsed, alarmingly witnessed by bystanders on the shore. Fortunately, the bridge itself was unharmed and has since reopened to traffic as of Saturday night.

As per information released by police, the Cuauhtémoc ship, with a mast height measuring 48.2 meters (158 feet), approached the bridge, which has a clearance of 41.1 meters (135 feet) at its center, raising questions about the circumstances leading to the incident. Emergency responders successfully rescued at least 27 individuals from the ship for medical treatment, and all 277 crew members were accounted for following the incident. Subsequently, the decimated vessel was transferred to a nearby dock for further investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced its dispatch of a team to aid in the investigation, which is being conducted in collaboration with Mexican authorities. Mexico's Navy Secretary Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles emphasized the commitment to conducting the investigation with “total transparency and responsibility.” The Cuauhtémoc had set sail from Acapulco, Mexico on April 6 as part of a tour that included stops in New York and Aberdeen, Scotland for a scheduled Tall Ships race in July.