A routine departure turned into a terrifying spectacle on the evening of May 17, when the towering Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, leaving 19 people injured, including four in critical condition.
The dramatic incident unfolded around 8:30 p.m., as the 297-foot vessel attempted to sail out of New York Harbor en route to Iceland. With 277 crew members onboard—primarily cadets—the ship reportedly experienced a sudden power failure, just as it approached the bridge.
Swept by strong currents, the Cuauhtémoc lost control and drifted into the bridge, triggering a chaotic sequence of events. The ship’s three towering masts, each standing over 140 feet tall, violently scraped and snapped against the bridge’s underdeck, which has a maximum clearance of only 135 feet.
According to officials, two sailors were positioned atop one of the masts at the time of the collision. Eyewitnesses and harrowing video footage captured the moment the mast struck the bridge, cracking and collapsing in slow motion, sending people hurtling and evoking panic among spectators gathered in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Emergency teams from the NYPD Harbor and SCUBA Units quickly responded, helping navigate the damaged vessel toward the Manhattan Bridge, where injured crew members received medical attention. Fortunately, no one was thrown into the water, and the Brooklyn Bridge was declared structurally sound, reopening shortly after.
The Cuauhtémoc, often referred to as a “goodwill ambassador of the seas”, had been docked in New York since May 13, offering public tours as part of a planned 254-day training voyage, visiting 22 ports in 15 countries.
The Mexican Navy has launched an internal investigation, citing a failed sailing maneuver as the cause of the crash. The event has sparked broader concerns around maritime safety, especially in high-traffic zones like New York Harbor.
As the Cuauhtémoc prepares for repairs and future stops, the incident serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable power of the sea—and the delicate balance required to navigate it.
