News Summary

A tragic collision occurred when the Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican Navy training ship, lost power and struck the Brooklyn Bridge, resulting in two fatalities and over a dozen injuries. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as crew members fell from masts during the incident. Although the bridge sustained no significant damage, emergency responders quickly attended to those affected, with some individuals in critical condition. Investigations are underway by the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause, including potential mechanical issues. The ship had just begun a tour focused on the Independence of Mexico.

New York

A Mexican Navy training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, resulting in two fatalities and at least 19 injuries. The incident occurred around 8:24 p.m. when the vessel reportedly lost power while attempting to maneuver, causing it to drift toward the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side.

There were 277 individuals on board the Cuauhtémoc at the time of the accident, including crew members and cadets. Tragically, two crew members, América Yamilet Sánchez, a 20-year-old cadet, and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, a 23-year-old sailor, died after falling from the ship’s masts during the collision. Among those injured, two remain in critical condition. Eyewitnesses reported a chaotic scene, describing crew members hanging from the masts while onlookers screamed and fled from the water’s edge.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the fatalities and injuries while reassuring the public that the Brooklyn Bridge sustained no significant damage, allowing it to reopen after a brief inspection. Emergency services promptly responded to the scene, wherein footage captured the ship’s masts striking the bridge, leading to the masts snapping and falling onto the Cuauhtémoc’s deck. Fortunately, all personnel aboard the ship have been accounted for, and no one fell into the water during the incident.

The Cuauhtémoc, with a mast height of 158 feet, had just left Pier 17 after being docked at the South Street Seaport Museum for five days prior to the crash. At the time of the collision, winds were measuring around 10 knots, and a water current of 0.3 knots was reported in the area. The clearance height of the Brooklyn Bridge at the center is 135 feet, leading to concerns about the ship’s ability to navigate the area safely.

Preliminary investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have indicated that a “mechanical malfunction” and a power outage may have contributed to the incident. Investigators are currently analyzing the ship’s condition, control systems, and environmental factors while also examining videotape evidence of the crash and interviewing crew members and dock pilots.

Following the incident, nearly 200 cadets returned to Mexico, while 94 crew members remain aboard the Cuauhtémoc. The vessel’s voyage is part of the “Consolidation of the Independence of Mexico 2025” tour, which started earlier this month on April 6, 2025.

The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report within the next 30 days, with a more comprehensive investigation potentially taking 12 to 24 months to complete. The sailing community and authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, seeking to prevent similar accidents in the future.

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