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On May 17, 2025, a Mexican Navy ship struck the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. As per the CNN report dated May 18, 2025, a spokesperson from the New York Police Department confirmed that the sailboat hit the bridge at approximately 8:26 pm.
The incident gained widespread attention after X user Pop Base shared a video of the accident on May 18, 2025. The video showed the moment when the Mexican Navy ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, and the three tall masts of the ship crumbled from the massive impact.
The clip also included footage of several bystanders on the shore, recording the accident as it occurred.
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As per an article by BBC, the Mexican navy ship, also known as Cuauhtémoc, had a mast height of 48.2m (158ft) while the bridge had a 41.1m (135 ft) clearance at its center. The same article also reported that early police investigations showed that the ship had lost power before the collision, causing it to move in reverse toward the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River.
The BBC article also reported that the National Transportation Safety Board had sent a team, which was being coordinated between the US and Mexico governments, to assist in the investigation.
As per a Euro News report dated May 18, 2025, two onlookers present on-site at the time of the accident, Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, told The Associated Press they were sitting outside to watch the sunset when they saw the vessel strike the bridge.
"We saw someone dangling, and I couldn’t tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for like at least like 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them," Katz said (as per report).
Mexican Navy ship hits the Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2, city officials state that vessel was moving in the ‘wrong direction'
According to the New York Times report published on May 18, 2025, the Mexican Navy ship, Cuauhtémoc, also known as the “Ambassador and Knight of the Seas", crashed into the iconic Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night.
According to ABC7 Chicago, this training vessel was also a diplomatic symbol of Mexico abroad. Cuauhtémoc left Acapulco, Mexico, on April 6, 2025, on a tour that included stops in New York and Aberdeen, Scotland, for the city's Tall Ships race in July.
The Mexican Navy ship was visiting New York as part of a global goodwill tour and was en route to Iceland when the crash occurred.
According to the CNN report, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the deaths in this accident via a post on his official X account on May 18, 2025.
"Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge. At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries," he wrote.
The report further revealed that the two individuals who died fell from one of the Mexican Navy ship's masts. They were pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital.
The CNN report also highlighted a statement from a senior city official familiar with the investigation. According to the official, the Mexican Navy ship had been moving in the “wrong direction” at the time of the crash.
"It was the current that took it under the bridge...It wasn’t supposed to be headed in that direction," the official told CNN
The Independent reports, published on May 18, 2025, stated that the Mexican Navy ship's captain informed investigators that he lost control of the vessel after its rudder stopped functioning.
"They had some sort of mechanical issue. They lost power, so without being able to use the rudder, they could not steer," the official added.
At present, the Mexican Navy ship is docked at Pier 36, with visible damage to three of its masts. As per the report, the precise cause of the accident remains under investigation. There was no reported structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge.
