Mexican Navy Ship Crashes into Brooklyn Bridge, Killing Two Sailors
Two sailors from the Mexican navy were killed and 11 others critically injured after a naval training ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge during a promotional tour in New York City, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed.
The incident occurred Saturday night when the Cuauhtémoc, a historic sailing vessel used for training, lost power while navigating the East River and struck the iconic bridge. Named after the last Aztec emperor, the Cuauhtémoc was carrying 277 people as part of a goodwill voyage when it hit the bridge, snapping all three of its masts. Video footage from witnesses captured sailors in full ceremonial dress stationed along the yardarms just moments before the crash.
In a statement posted to X on Sunday morning, Sheinbaum expressed condolences: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the training ship Cuauhtémoc, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York. Our solidarity and support go out to their families. The ministry of the navy, with help from local authorities, is attending to the injured.”
According to a bulletin from the Mexican government, 22 crew members were hurt—11 critically and nine in stable condition. The two sailors who died were navy cadets. Efforts are underway to reunite affected crew with their families. “The navy, aware of the risks inherent to maritime operations, deeply regrets the incident and remains committed to supporting the families and thoroughly investigating the cause of the crash,” the bulletin added.
By Sunday morning, images showed the extent of the damage: two broken masts and a third hanging precariously. CNN reported that seven uniformed navy officers boarded the vessel to assess the situation. Several videos of the collision show the masts snapping against the bridge and crashing onto the ship’s deck. Despite heavy traffic on the bridge at the time, no injuries were reported on the structure itself, which remained intact. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed this in a Facebook post.
The Cuauhtémoc had been on a 254-day voyage to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s independence. The ship was scheduled to visit 22 ports across 15 countries, spreading a message of peace and goodwill. It had set sail from Acapulco on April 6 and was expected to travel through the Caribbean and Europe, including stops in London and Aberdeen.
The crew included 64 women and 213 men. The vessel, measuring 297 feet in length and 40 feet in width, first launched in 1982 and has since been used to complete the training of naval cadets after their academic coursework.
Witnesses Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told the Associated Press they were watching the sunset when the crash occurred. “We saw someone dangling—we thought it was a blur, but zooming in on our phones, we realized a person was hanging from a harness at the top of the mast. It took at least 15 minutes before they were rescued,” Katz said. They later saw two people taken from the ship on stretchers to smaller boats.
The Brooklyn Bridge, a landmark since 1883, has a main span of nearly 1,600 feet supported by massive masonry towers. It carries over 100,000 vehicles and roughly 32,000 pedestrians daily, and its elevated walkway is a major tourist draw.
According to the Associated Press, the crash happened while the Cuauhtémoc was maneuvering through turbulent waters. The tide had recently turned, sending a swift current upriver, and winds were blowing at around 10 mph when the ship lost control.
