The Cuauhtémoc vessel — which had 277 people onboard — hit the iconic N.Y.C. landmark on May 17
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NEED TO KNOW
- Officials revealed what caused a large ship to crash into the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17
- New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference that the Cuauhtémoc hit the landmark due to a mechanical mishap
- Over 200 people were onboard the ship at the time of the crash, and two of them were killed
Officials have revealed what caused a large ship to crash into the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend.
During a press conference after the incident on Saturday, May 17, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the Cuauhtémoc, a training ship used for the Mexican Navy, crashed into the landmark due to a mechanical mishap.
“The pilot lost power of the ship,” he said of the vessel, which took off from the nearby Pier 17 shortly before. Chief Wilson Aramboles of the New York Police Department (NYPD)’s Special Operations Division stated that the ship was en route to Iceland.
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez also said during the press conference that the head of the bridge division was in Brooklyn, and a preliminary assessment found no signs of major damage.
Adams added that 277 people total were onboard at the time of the crash. No one fell into the water, per officials.
“Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge,” Adams shared in an update on X hours later. ” At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries.”
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Just before 9 p.m. local time on May 17, the Cuauhtémoc vessel crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, prompting a search-and-rescue operation.
Shortly after, the Mexican navy confirmed the incident in a statement on X, writing: “During the sailing maneuver of the Cuauhtémoc sailboat in New York, a mishap occurred with the Brooklyn Bridge, causing damage to the training ship, preventing the continuation of the training cruise for the time being.”
“The status of personnel and equipment is being reviewed by naval and local authorities, who are providing support,” the organization added. “The Navy reaffirms its commitment to personnel safety, transparency in its operations, and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Navy.”
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Eyewitness videos of the crash shared on social media show the ship’s large masts colliding with the bridge and onlookers reacting in surprise. Sections of the top half of the vessel broke apart upon the impact. People who had been standing along the masts could be seen hanging from the broken structures following the collision.
Later on May 17, Manhattan Borough President Mark D. Levine shared in a post on X that NYPD divers had exited the water and the injured had been transported to local hospitals.
“DOT [Department of Transporation] is currently on the bridge to assess potential structural damage. Will not need to close the bridge. The investigation is ongoing,” he added.
A New York Fire Department (FDNY) official told The New York Times that everyone was believed to have been accounted for.
According to NBC New York, the Cuauhtémoc arrived in N.Y.C. earlier in the week, docked at Pier 17 of the South Street Seaport Museum, and had been open to tours over the weekend.
