Mayor Eric Adams of New York City reports that the collision resulted in 19 individuals injured, with four suffering severe injuries.
The incident occurred on Saturday.
Video footage taken and posted online depicts the ship navigating underneath the bridge. This bridge connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan, and the top of the ship’s three masts can be seen crashing into the iconic structure.
The masts are observed breaking and partially collapsing upon impact with the bridge’s deck.
Following the collision, the ship, adorned with a large Mexican flag in green, white, and red, drifted towards the river’s edge. Bystanders were seen hastily moving away from the shore.
Sailors were visible atop the rigging on the damaged masts.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that 19 people were injured in the crash, four severely, but fortunately, the 142-year-old bridge sustained no significant damage.
The cause of the collision is under investigation.
Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, witnesses of the event, shared with The Associated Press that they were watching the sunset when the vessel struck the bridge. They observed a person hanging from the ship’s rigging at a height for around 15 minutes before rescue efforts were successful. They also reported seeing two individuals being transported off the ship on stretchers and into smaller boats.
In a post on X, the Mexican Navy stated that the Cuauhtemoc, a training vessel for the academy, was damaged in an incident with the Brooklyn Bridge, hindering its journey. They mentioned that authorities were assessing the status of personnel and materials and providing assistance.
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicated on X that the Mexican ambassador to the US and officials from the Mexican consulate in New York were in contact with local authorities to offer support to the affected cadets, without mentioning injuries explicitly.
The Brooklyn Bridge, an 1883 construct, features a main span of nearly 1,600 feet (490 meters) supported by two masonry towers. Approximately 100,000 vehicles and an estimated 32,000 pedestrians use the bridge daily, with its walkway serving as a popular tourist attraction, according to the city’s transportation department.
