Two people died and two others are in critical condition following an accident on Saturday involving the Mexican Navy’s training ship Cuauhtémoc, which collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced.
“Of the 277 people on board, 19 were injured, 2 of whom remain in critical condition, and sadly, 2 died as a result of their injuries,” Adams said on social media platform X.
The Mexican Navy had previously reported 22 injured crew members, three of them with “serious injuries.”
The Cuauhtémoc, a three-masted sailing ship of the Mexican Navy with about 200 people on board, crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on New York’s East River.
Following the incident, the Mexican Navy reported: “As a result of the mishap, there is an official report of 22 injured crew members, 19 of whom are receiving medical attention at local hospitals, with three sustaining serious injuries.”
The Navy also stated that “no personnel fell into the water, so rescue operations were not required.”
Additionally, the Navy shared via its X account that it “maintains close coordination with personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mexican ambassador to the United States, and the mayor of New York, as well as with local authorities, who are providing timely care to the crew and ensuring their well-being.”
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that 19 people were injured in the accident, four seriously, but that the 142-year-old bridge did not sustain major damage. The cause of the collision is under investigation.
According to The Washington Post, at least three people were transported to the hospital in critical condition, while several others sustained serious injuries, according to a spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department, which is leading search and rescue operations alongside the New York Police Department.
The collision occurred shortly before 9:00 p.m. local time. The ship’s three 45-meter masts struck the bridge and broke as the vessel appeared to be reversing.
The ship reportedly hit some kind of scaffolding or support structure on the underside of the bridge, which can be seen swaying after the impact. It is not yet clear if there were any victims on the bridge, but debris can be seen falling onto the deck of the ship, including parts of the masts, lights, and rigging. The sails were not raised at the time.
