Mexican Ship's Brooklyn Bridge Accident Has Turned Fatal

Two crew members aboard a Mexican navy ship on a goodwill tour are dead after the vessel struck the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday. The training ship Cuauhtemoc was carrying 277 people when it hit the bridge about 8:20pm, snapping three masts and leaving some sailors trapped in harnesses above the deck, reports the AP. About 20 remain hospitalized, including several in critical condition. The vessel lost power before the crash, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a social media post, per the New York Times.

• Spectators' video—see one example—captured the ship moving in reverse before its masts hit the bridge and broke off. Sailors could be seen suspended in the damaged rigging, but no one fell into the water.
• No injuries were reported on the heavily trafficked bridge itself, which city officials said did not sustain major damage. Vehicle movement was halted for an inspection but resumed soon after.
• The cause of the crash is under investigation. NYPD officials said the Cuauhtemoc had just left a Manhattan pier and was supposed to be heading out to sea when it lost power because of a still-undetermined mechanical issue. It was never supposed to sail under the bridge.
• The Cuauhtemoc, launched in 1982 and spanning nearly 300 feet, left Mexico in April on its training voyage, with plans to visit 22 ports across 15 countries. After the collision, tugboats escorted the damaged vessel upriver to dock. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences to the families of the deceased crew members.