A naval training ship donning a massive Mexican flag crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Saturday night, killing at least two people.
Videos posted to social media appear to show the mast of the ship crashing into the bridge just before 8:30 p.m., as passengers and nearby onlookers screamed, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation on the East River for the injured passengers.
Crew performers were allegedly standing on top of the masts as it struck the bridge, leaving them dangling hundreds of feet in the air over the deck.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said 19 people were injured in the incident, including two who died from their injuries and two who remain in critical condition.
All 277 occupants onboard have been accounted for, according to the New York Fire Department (FDNY).
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The 150-foot-tall Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, appeared to have veered to the side after passing under the bridge, nearly crashing into a nearby pier before coming to a stop.
Preliminary information shows that a mechanical issue may have caused the ship to veer off course and collide with the bridge, officials said at a news briefing, although it remains under investigation.
The ship had just left a Manhattan pier and was supposed to be headed out to sea and not toward the bridge.
The ship struck the bottom side of the roadbed portion of the Brooklyn Bridge, officials with the New York Police Department (NYPD) told Fox News.
Flags and debris from the ship plummeted onto the deck and into the water below, as the vessel rocked back and forth, pushing its way under the landmark.
“No one fell into the water, they were all hurt inside the ship,” an NYPD official said, according to WCBS. “The ship, from what I was informed by the supervisors of the ship, it was disembarking and going to Iceland.”
The NYPD Harbor Unit responded to the scene to support rescue operations.
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The Mexican Navy, in an X post, said a “mishap occurred with the Brooklyn Bridge” during a sailing maneuver.
“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,” according to the post. “The status of personnel and equipment is being reviewed by naval and local authorities, who are providing support. The Navy reaffirms its commitment to personnel safety, transparency in its operations, and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Navy.”
The Navy said no items fell into the water.
There is no major damage to the bridge, according to the NYPD.
Traffic was stopped after the collision but was allowed to resume after an inspection. The NYPD had asked the public to avoid the area of the Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Dumbo in Brooklyn.
“Expect heavy traffic and a large presence of emergency vehicles in the surrounding area,” NYPD officials wrote in an X post.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James took to X to send her prayers.
“I’m praying for everyone who was on this ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge this evening,” James wrote in a post. “New Yorkers should follow local guidance while our first responders do their jobs.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also offered “solidarity and support” to the families of the deceased crew members.
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“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our sympathy and support go out to their families,” she wrote on X.
The Cuauhtémoc was built in Bilbao, Spain in 1981 and has won the Tall Ships’ Races twice, according to Sail Training International. The ship is in New York City as part of a promotion for an event next year that celebrates America’s 250th birthday.
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