A tragic maritime accident unfolded on Saturday night when the Mexican Navy’s tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and collided with the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people and injuring at least 19 others.
The incident occurred around 8:30 PM local time on May 17, as the ship was navigating the East River during a promotional tour en route from New York to Iceland. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the ship lost power moments before its 147-foot-tall masts struck the bridge’s lower roadbed.
“Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge. Of the 277 onboard, 19 sustained injuries—2 critically—and sadly, 2 have died,” Adams wrote on X.
At the time of the crash, two sailors were reportedly atop the ship’s masts, intensifying the horror of the moment. Eyewitnesses described the terrifying sight of someone dangling from a harness near the top for nearly 15 minutes before being rescued.
In a separate statement, Mexico’s Ministry of Navy stated that 22 crew members were injured, with 19 receiving medical care. Social media was soon flooded with shocking videos showing the masts snapping as the vessel continued drifting under the bridge.
Despite the magnitude of the impact, the 142-year-old Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer major structural damage, reported the Associated Press. The New York Police Department (NYPD) advised citizens to avoid the surrounding areas—South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Dumbo in Brooklyn—due to heavy traffic and the ongoing investigation.
“Expect a large presence of emergency vehicles,” the NYPD posted.
The cause of the power failure and subsequent collision is under investigation. The accident caused significant disruption across Brooklyn, both on the roads and emotionally, as residents grappled with the unexpected tragedy involving a foreign naval vessel.
Witnesses Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, who were nearby to enjoy the sunset, said the crash left them shaken.
“We saw someone dangling, and couldn’t tell if it was real until we zoomed in with our phones,” Katz told AP. “They were up there for at least 15 minutes before help arrived.”
The Cuauhtémoc, a historic Mexican training ship, has been used for diplomatic missions and international goodwill tours for decades. This collision marks one of the most serious incidents in its operational history.
