A Mexican navy ship hit the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night, when it was on a promotional tour as the top of its mast hit the iconic span while it was sailing through the East River.
The New York Fire Department confirmed that they were responding to injuries reported in the collision of the navy ship with Brooklyn Bridge, while a CNN report quoted a source stating that three people were in a critical condition while 17 others were wounded in the incident.
According to a spokesperson of the New York Police Department, the Mexican ship hit the New York bridge around 8:26pm and several people were being “aided”.
NYCEM is responding to an incident at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The situation is developing and details are not confirmed at this time. Emergency alerts, including recommended actions, will be issued through @NotifyNYC as updates become available. To stay informed, text…
— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) May 18, 2025
An Associated Press report quoted an eyewitness video of the collision wherein the mast of the ship, which was carrying the Mexican flag, scraped underneath the bridge. The sailboat then started drifting towards the edge of the river while the onlookers vacated the surrounding of shore.
A Mexican navy ship sits in the water after it hit the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. (AP Photo/Kyle Viterbo)
According to the Mexican Navy, the Cuauhtemoc, an academy training vessel, was damaged in an accident with the Brooklyn Bridge and its voyage has been suspended from continuing. The navy added that the status of personnel and materials remains under review by naval and local authorities.
Durante la maniobra de zarpe del Velero Cuauhtémoc en Nueva York, se registró un percance con el Puente de Brooklyn que provocó daños al Buque Escuela, impidiendo por el momento la continuación del crucero de instrucción.
El estado del personal y material se encuentra en… pic.twitter.com/7imVEzks4m
— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) May 18, 2025
“The Secretary of the Navy renews its commitment to the safety of personnel, transparency in its operations and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Armada,” the Mexican Navy said in a post on X in Spanish.
Mexican Navy informed, the vessel Cuauhtemoc, is about 297 feet long and 40 feet wide (90.5 meters long and 12 meters wide) and it sailed for the first time in 1982. Cuauhtemoc sails every year at the end of classes at the naval military school in order to finish the training of the cadets.
“The situation is developing and details are not confirmed at this time,” New York City Emergency Management said on X.
(with inputs from CNN, AP)
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