BROOKLYN, NY — A Mexican Navy ship collision at the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday evening left 19 people injured, including four seriously, after the tall training vessel ARM Cuauhtémoc struck the bridge’s underside while attempting to pass beneath. The accident occurred around 8:26 p.m., with the ship departing from Pier 17 en route to Iceland when its 147-foot masts collided with the bridge’s 135-foot clearance, causing severe damage to the vessel and chaos on board.
The 297-foot Mexican Navy ship, which carried 277 cadets and crew, suffered catastrophic mast failure. Eyewitnesses described seeing sailors suspended in the rigging and wooden fragments cascading into the East River. Emergency responders from the FDNY and NYPD Harbor Unit rapidly responded, transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the cause of the crash, initially believed to be due to a mechanical failure in the ship’s steering system. Fortunately, structural inspections revealed that the 142-year-old Brooklyn Bridge sustained no critical damage and was reopened shortly after emergency crews cleared the scene.
Commissioned in 1982, the ARM Cuauhtémoc serves as both a training vessel and a goodwill ambassador for the Mexican Navy. The ship’s journey, which began in Acapulco and included stops in 15 countries, is temporarily suspended pending a full investigation and safety review.
The Brooklyn Bridge injuries and Cuauhtémoc crash are now the subject of international coordination, with Mexican officials working alongside U.S. authorities to support affected personnel and determine the next steps for the damaged vessel.
