Cuauhtémoc Brooklyn Bridge collision
{{Short description|2025 ship collision in New York City, U.S.}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|nah-Latn|Cuauhtémoc|cat=no}} Brooklyn Bridge collision}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox event
| title = {{lang|nah-Latn|Cuauhtémoc}} Brooklyn Bridge collision
| image = ARM Cuauhtémoc crashes into the Brooklyn Bridge 0-17 screenshot.png
| image_size =
| caption = ARM {{lang|nah-Latn|Cuauhtémoc}} during the collision with the Brooklyn Bridge; the main-mast's tip was visibly snapping at the time this screenshot was taken.
| map = {{OSM Location map
| coord = {{Coord|40.7044|-73.9950}}
| float = center
| zoom = 16
| width = 300
| height = 220
| scalemark = 40
| mark-coord1 = {{Coord|40.7044|-73.9950}}
| shape1 = n-square
| shape-color1 =
| shape-outline1 =
| mark-size1 =
| fullscreen-option = 1
}}
| date = {{start date|2025|05|17}}
| time = 8:24 p.m.
| timezone = EDT
| place = Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, United States
| coordinates = {{Wikidatacoord|Q134495884|type:event_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
| cause = Collision with bridge structure following power loss
| participants = Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc
| outcome = Mast collapse, multiple injuries and deaths
| reported deaths = 2{{Cite web |date=May 18, 2025 |title=2 dead, more than a dozen injured after Mexican naval training ship strikes Brooklyn Bridge |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/brooklyn/mexican-navy-ship-cuauhtemoc-hits-the-brooklyn-bridge-during-training-exercise/6268755/?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=www.nbcnewyork.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite tweet |date=May 18, 2025 |title=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. |user=NYCMayor |number=1923956324737351832 |first=Eric |last=Adams}}
| reported injuries = 25 injured (two critical){{Cite tweet |date=May 18, 2025 |title=At approximately 8:20 Saturday night, the FDNY received a call that a boat struck the Brooklyn Bridge. There were 277 people on the boat. 27 people were removed for treatment. {{Omission}} |access-date=May 18, 2025 |user=FDNY |number=1923955300379377743}}
| reported missing =
| reported property damage = Damage to ship masts, no damage to bridge
| inquiries = Pending
}}
On May 17, 2025, the Mexican Navy ship ARM Cuauhtémoc struck the Brooklyn Bridge while departing New York City. The ship's masts collided with the underside of the bridge, at around the height of her topgallant sails, causing the loss of her topmasts and resulting in two deaths and multiple injuries of people aboard the vessel.{{cite news |title=Mexican tall ship strikes Brooklyn Bridge, snapping masts and killing 2 crew members |url=https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-bridge-collision-mexican-navy-ship-ca335dc85ebfbf981bc38516985461c8 |work=Associated Press |last1=Brown |first1=Ruth |last2=Viterbo |first2=Kyle Marian |date=May 17, 2025 |access-date=May 17, 2025}}{{cite news |title=Mexican Navy Tall Ship Collides With Brooklyn Bridge |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/brooklyn/mexican-navy-ship-cuauhtemoc-hits-the-brooklyn-bridge-during-training-exercise/6268755/ |work=NBC New York |last1=Dienst |first1=Jonathan |last2=Colorado |first2=Melissa |date=May 17, 2025 |access-date=May 17, 2025}}
Background
File:Cuauhtémoc (7866888592).jpg
{{lang|nah-Latn|Cuauhtémoc}} is a sail training vessel of the Mexican Navy, often used on international goodwill tours. According to the Maritimes Museum, Cuauhtémoc, originally named Celaya, was designed in 1981 as part of a series of sister ships that would be used by various Ibero-American navies before sailing for the first time from Spain to Mexico in July 1982.{{Cite web |last=McCormack |first=Caitlin |date=2025-05-18 |title=NYC Brooklyn Bridge crash Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc was on annual journey for cadet training |url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/18/us-news/nyc-brooklyn-bridge-crash-mexican-navy-tall-ship-cuauhtemoc-was-on-annual-journey-for-cadet-training/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Marsden |first=Emma |first9=written for Johnston |date=2025-05-18 |title=What is the "Cuauhtémoc?" Mexican Navy ship crashed into Brooklyn Bridge |url=https://www.newsweek.com/what-cuauhtemoc-mexican-navy-ship-crashed-brooklyn-bridge-2073727 |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Newsweek}}
The ship's training cruise, titled the "Consolidation of Mexican Independence 2025," marked the celebration of the expulsion of the final Spanish stronghold at San Juan de Ulúa from Mexican territory in 1825 by the Mexican Navy under the command of Pedro Sainz de Baranda.{{Cite web |last=McCormack |first=Caitlin |date=2025-05-18 |title=NYC Brooklyn Bridge crash Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc was on annual journey for cadet training |url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/18/us-news/nyc-brooklyn-bridge-crash-mexican-navy-tall-ship-cuauhtemoc-was-on-annual-journey-for-cadet-training/ |access-date=2025-05-18}}
On April 4, 2025, {{lang|nah-Latn|Cuauhtémoc}} departed from Acapulco.{{Cite web |author=Secretaría de Marina |title=Zarpa el Buque Escuela "Cuauhtémoc" para iniciar el Crucero de Instrucción "Consolidación de la Independencia de México 2025" |url=https://www.gob.mx/semar/prensa/por-la-exaltacion-del-espiritu-marinero-zarpa-el-buque-escuela-cuauhtemoc-para-iniciar-el-crucero-de-instruccion-consolidacion-de-la-independencia-de-mexico-2025?idiom=es |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=gob.mx |language=es}} It was then docked at South Street Seaport as the third stop of its planned eight-month trip from May 13 to 17 of that year, which was also a part of a routine visit.{{cite news |title=Mexican Navy Tall Ship Cuauhtémoc Collides with Brooklyn Bridge |url=https://www.marinelink.com/news/mexican-navy-tall-ship-cuauhtmoc-collides-512319 |work=MarineLink |date=May 17, 2025 |access-date=May 17, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Brunner |first=Raven |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Ship That Hit Brooklyn Bridge Was on Annual Transcontinental Journey to Mark Completion of Cadet Training |url=https://people.com/ship-hit-brooklyn-bridge-was-on-annual-transcontinental-journey-cadet-training-11737172 |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=People.com}} At the time of the incident, Cuauhtémoc was on a training cruise, which takes place annually and was scheduled to visit again for America's 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.{{Cite web |first1=Nouran |last1=Salahieh |first2=Michelle |last2=Watson |first3=Mauricio |last3=Torres |date=May 18, 2025 |title=20 injured after Mexican Navy training ship strikes Brooklyn Bridge, source says |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/17/us/manhattan-brooklyn-bridge-ship |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Donlevy |first=Katherine |date=2025-05-13 |title=Exclusive {{!}} Mexican tall ship docks in NYC in sneak peek of 2026's Sail4th celebration of America's 250th |url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/13/us-news/mexican-tall-ship-docks-in-nyc-in-sneak-peek-of-2026s-sail4th-celebration-of-americas-250th/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |language=en-US}} The ship has a listed height of {{convert|44.81|m|ft}}.{{cite web |url=https://sailtraininginternational.org/vessel/cuauhtemoc/ |title=ARM Cuauhtemoc |website=sailtraininginternational.org |access-date=May 18, 2025}}
The Brooklyn Bridge, a suspension bridge completed in 1883, spans the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City. Its vertical clearance is {{convert|127|ft|m}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.charts.noaa.gov/PDFs/12335.pdf |title=Hudson and East Rivers |website=NOAA.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022232202/https://www.charts.noaa.gov/PDFs/12335.pdf |archive-date=October 22, 2015 |via=Wayback Machine}}
The ship was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 nations over the course of 170 days.{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Mexican navy ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge leaving two people dead |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/18/mexican-navy-ship-hits-brooklyn-bridge-during-promotional-tour |access-date=May 18, 2025 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite news |title=US officials investigating fatal Mexican Navy ship crash |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8ykn0ez3po |access-date=18 May 2025 |work=BBC News |last=Blasey |first=Laura |date=18 May 2025}}
Incident
The collision took place at approximately 8:26 p.m. on May 17, when Cuauhtémoc was reversing out of dock into the river from South Street Seaport. For unknown reasons, the ship was not able to maneuver correctly in the water currents and northeast wind, and travelled backwards under the nearby Brooklyn Bridge, crashing into the span. Wilson Aramboles, the New York Police Department's Special Operations Chief, said that Cuauhtémoc was intended to head out to sea, but ended up traveling in the wrong direction and instead moved toward the Brooklyn Bridge. Just before the collision, the ship was seen moving quickly in reverse.
Videos show the ship's three masts impacting the bridge one by one and breaking off, at around the height of her topgallant sails, and the ship continuing on and scraping along the waterfront revetment.{{cite news |title=Mexican Navy Ship's Mast Strikes Brooklyn Bridge in NYC — and Reportedly Leaves Multiple Injured |url=https://people.com/mexican-navy-ship-mast-strikes-brooklyn-bridge-in-nyc-8609260 |work=People |date=May 17, 2025 |access-date=May 17, 2025}} There were 227 people on board at the time.{{Cite web |last=Rice |first=Nicholas |date=May 17, 2025 |title=Multiple People Injured After Ship Carrying Over 200 Hits the Brooklyn Bridge, Search and Rescue Operation Now Underway |url=https://people.com/ship-carrying-200-hits-the-brooklyn-bridge-search-and-rescue-underway-11737139 |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=People.com |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Lukiv |first1=Jaroslav |last2=Comerford |first2=Ruth |last3=Ghildial |first3=Pratiksha |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c991n8p4pdyo |title=Two dead as Mexican Navy ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge |work=BBC |access-date=May 18, 2025}} The impact caused significant damage to the ship's masts, the deaths of two crew members, and injuries to multiple other crew members, three of whom were reported in critical condition. Additionally, several sailors were spotted hanging onto the damaged masts, though none fell into the river. The two fatalities were identified as cadets from Veracruz and Oaxaca states respectively. One of them was standing on top of the rigging at the time of the collision.{{cite news |last1=Buschschlüter |first1=Vanessa |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7807vexn0go |title=Mexico mourns Navy cadets killed in Brooklyn Bridge ship crash |work=BBC |access-date=May 20, 2025}}
Emergency response
Emergency responders, including units from the FDNY, NYPD Harbor Unit, and United States Coast Guard, arrived shortly after the collision. The injured were transported to nearby medical facilities.
Aftermath
Immediately after the collision, the vessel was held at dock while the Mexican Navy, in coordination with U.S. authorities, assessed the damage. The Mexican Secretariat of the Navy issued a public statement confirming the collision and promising transparency during the ongoing review.{{cite web |last1=Marina |first1=Secretaría de |title=La Secretaría de Marina informa sobre los hechos ocurridos con el Buque Escuela Velero "Cuauhtémoc" |url=https://www.gob.mx/semar/prensa/la-secretaria-de-marina-informa-sobre-los-hechos-ocurridos-con-el-buque-escuela-velero-cuauhtemoc?idiom=es |website=gob.mx |language=es}} The Brooklyn Bridge sustained no major structural damage, though all lanes on both sides were briefly closed before reopening at 10:30 p.m. The New York City Department of Transportation did not issue specific statements on the bridge's status, but routine maintenance closures were scheduled shortly after the incident.{{cite web |title=Brooklyn Bridge Lane Closures May 19–22 |url=https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot |website=NYC DOT |access-date=May 17, 2025}} According to a spokesperson, New York City mayor Eric Adams was briefed on the collision and was expected to travel to the incident.{{update-inline|date=May 2025}}
{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident. The Mexican Navy said it would conduct an internal inquiry.{{cite news |last1=Saldaña |first1=Iván Evair |last2=Arellano |first2=César |title=Garantiza la Marina "total transparencia" en investigación por choque del buque escuela |url=https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2025/05/18/politica/garantiza-la-marina-total-transparencia-en-investigacion-por-choque-del-buque-escuela |work=La Jornada |date=18 May 2025 |language=es}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.semar.gob.mx/ Official website of the Mexican Navy]
- [https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/home/home.shtml NYC Department of Transportation]
- [https://www.uscg.mil/ United States Coast Guard]
{{2025 shipwrecks}}
{{Mexico–United States relations}}
Category:2025 in New York City
Category:2025 in international relations
Category:May 2025 in the United States
Category:Maritime incidents in 2025
Category:Collisions between ships and bridges
Category:Maritime incidents in the United States
Category:Transportation accidents in New York City