A majestic Mexican Navy tall ship, adorned with lights and flying a massive national flag, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, slicing off the tops of its towering masts and injuring at least 19 people, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Dramatic footage shared online shows the training vessel Cuauhtémoc sailing beneath the historic bridge near the Manhattan side, where the height of its 147-foot (45-meter) masts exceeded the bridge’s clearance. As the ship passed under the iconic arch, its masts were violently snapped off.
The Mexican Navy reported later that 22 individuals aboard the ship sustained injuries, with 19 receiving treatment in area hospitals. Three of those were seriously hurt. Fortunately, no one fell overboard during the incident.
Naval cadets, clad in ceremonial white uniforms, were seen suspended from the ship's rigging in the moments after impact. Adams confirmed that the vessel was carrying 277 people at the time. “Everyone who was injured was still onboard — no one ended up in the water,” a police official said.
Authorities suspect mechanical failure may have contributed to the crash, though no detailed explanation has yet been provided.
Near the South Street Seaport, footage captured pedestrians fleeing in alarm as the massive sailing ship struck the bridge and veered dangerously toward the dock. Despite the dramatic collision, city officials reported that the 140-year-old Brooklyn Bridge — a treasured landmark and critical artery connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn — suffered no major structural damage. Traffic was quickly reopened in both directions after a preliminary safety assessment.
Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its ambassador and consular staff were assisting injured cadets and coordinating with local authorities.
The Cuauhtémoc, named after the last Aztec emperor, is a famed training ship built in 1981 at the Celaya Shipyards in Bilbao, Spain. Its visit to New York, co-hosted by the South Street Seaport Museum, was meant to conclude Saturday evening and had included public tours aboard the vessel — a plan tragically disrupted by the unexpected crash.