Mexican Navy Sailing Vessel Crashes Into Brooklyn Bridge, Two Sailors Killed

A Mexican Navy sailing vessel crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night. Two sailors died and nineteen were injured, one seriously.

The Cuauhtemoc, a training ship on a training cruise with a crew of 277, mostly cadets, had its three mastheads smash into the bridge span and partially shattered as the vessel floated in the East River.

At the moment, according to the mayor of the Big Apple, the city's iconic bridge has not suffered any damage.

The sailing vessel Cuauhtemoc was leaving New York to continue its tour to Iceland when, for reasons still being investigated, it crashed.

There are numerous video testimonies from people who were nearby: the images show heavy traffic on the bridge span, with several sailors hanging from the shrouds of the damaged masts but, according to the authorities, none of them fell into the water.

Traffic, suspended following the crash, was reopened after initial checks on the bridge structure, which, according to New York City officials, has already undergone an initial inspection.

Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, two witnesses, told The Associated Press they were sitting watching the sunset when they saw the ship hit the Brooklyn Bridge. When they looked closer, they "saw someone dangling, and I couldn't figure out what it was, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone hanging from the harness at the top for at least 15 minutes before they were able to rescue him."

Mexico's Foreign Ministry said on X that the ambassador to the United States and officials at the Mexican consulate in New York are in contact with local authorities to provide assistance.

According to the Mexican Navy in a post on X, the Cuauhtémoc was a training ship: according to their data, 22 people were injured, 19 of whom required medical attention.

Following the collision, a tugboat is keeping the vessel afloat in the East River, between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.

The Brooklyn Bridge, opened in 1883, has a main span of nearly 1,600 feet supported by two masonry towers. According to the New York City Department of Transportation, more than 100,000 vehicles and approximately 32,000 pedestrians cross it each day, and its walkway is a major tourist attraction.

The Cuauhtémoc, which is approximately 300 feet long and 39 feet wide (according to the Mexican Navy), first set sail in 1982. The ship's mainmast is 160 feet high: every year the ship sets sail after classes at the Naval Military School to complete cadet training. This year, the Mexican Navy said, it left the Pacific Coast port of Acapulco on April 6.