A Mexican Navy ship has hit New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people and injuring 19.
The sailing ship Cuauhtémoc, which was due to leave the city, struck the bridge on Saturday night. Its three masts all snapped when it smashed into the world-famous bridge, with witnesses out for the evening describing chaotic scenes.
There were 277 people on board the vessel, with some crew left dangling from harnesses high in the air waiting for help. Multiple victims were rushed to hospital for treatment, some of them critical.
The 142-year-old bridge was spared major damage and investigations into what happened are ongoing.
Here’s everything we know so far.
What happened?
The tragic incident unfolded at around 8.30 p. m. on Saturday night, on New York’s East River.
Bystanders on the Brooklyn waterfront caught the crash on camera, with footage showing crowds fleeing from the water’s edge as the ship’s towering masts collided with the bridge.
It appears to strike some type of scaffolding or gantry on the underside of the bridge, which can then be seen swinging.
Debris can be seen falling toward the deck of the ship, including portions of the masts, lights, and rigging. Crew members were standing on the masts as they snapped and fell on the deck.
The New York Coast Guard said the Cuauhtémoc lost all three masts and all personnel on the ship had been accounted for and no-one had fallen in the water.
The historic bridge did not suffer any major damage and was reopened after a preliminary inspection.
What do we know about the victims?
The two people killed in the crash were sailors, who have yet to be named.
At a press conference held by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, it was confirmed that there were 19 people injured, five critically. The mayor later said on X that two of the injured had passed away.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mourned the loss of the two crew members.
“Our solidarity and support go out to their families,” Ms Sheinbaum said on X.
The most seriously injured victims were on the mast at the time of the collision, officials said.
Mayor Adams said the casualties had been taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.
What caused the crash?
The Cuauhtémoc was seen on Saturday moving rapidly in reverse toward the Brooklyn side of the East River, heading straight for the bridge.
Mayor Adams said on Saturday the boat had a mechanical mishap that caused it to veer into the bridge, after it set off from Pier 17 nearby.
The pilot had lost power of the ship, Adams explained, forcing it to head for the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side.
The Cuauhtémoc’s mast height was 48.2m (158ft). However, the New York transport department’s website says the bridge has a 135ft clearance at its center.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
What do we know about the ship’s journey?
The Cuauhtémoc, which measures about 297ft long and 40ft wide, sailed for the first time in 1982.
The ship was about to leave New York for a goodwill tour to Iceland when the incident happened.
Each year, the ship sets out at the end of classes at the naval military school to finish cadets’ training.
This year, it left the Mexican port of Acapulco, on the Pacific coast, on April 6, the navy said.
The Mexican consulate said on May 13 on X that the Cuauhtemoc, also called the Ambassador, and Knight of the Seas, arrived that day and docked at Pier 17. It invited people to visit through May 17.
The ship was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 countries, including Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; Cozumel, Mexico; and New York.
It also had planned to go to Reykjavik, Iceland; Bordeaux, Saint Malo and Dunkirk, France; and Aberdeen, Scotland, among others, for a total of 254 days, 170 of them at sea.
