Watch: Chaos as Mexican Navy ship collides with Brooklyn Bridge, sailors seen dangling

Two people have died and 17 others were injured when the Mexican Navy's training vessel Cuauhtémoc crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, creating a harrowing scene as sailors were seen dangling from damaged masts high above the deck.

The incident occurred around 8:30 PM local time when the three-masted ship, measuring nearly 300 feet in length, apparently lost power and drifted backwards into the historic bridge. The collision caused the vessel's towering masts, some exceeding 150 feet in height, to strike the bridge's underside and snap in succession.

"Sailors were seen aloft in the rigging on the damaged masts but, remarkably, no one fell into the water," news agency AP reported quoting officials.


New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed on Sunday that of the 277 people aboard, 19 sustained injuries, with two fatalities and two others in critical condition. "Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge," Adams posted on social media platform X.


Eyewitnesses described dramatic scenes as sailors clung to ropes, unable to descend for several minutes after the impact. "We saw someone just hanging there," recalled witness Lily Katz. "He was dangling from a harness near the top for like 15 minutes before help got to him."
The Cuauhtémoc, launched in 1982, was on a global goodwill voyage and had just completed a stop in Manhattan. The vessel, primarily carrying naval cadets, was scheduled to visit 22 ports across 15 countries before returning home in December. Prior to the accident, the ship had welcomed visitors at Pier 17 from May 13-17.


While the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, dating back to 1883, was struck during the incident, preliminary inspections revealed no significant structural damage. Though traffic was temporarily suspended, the bridge has since reopened. City officials have initiated a comprehensive inspection by the department of transportation.

Also Read: Brooklyn Bridge crash: NYPD explains why Mexican Navy Ship collided with Brooklyn Bridge

The ship's next destination was to be Iceland as part of its extended training mission, which included planned stops in France, Scotland, Cuba, and Jamaica.