Mexican Navy Tall Ship Crashes Into Brooklyn Bridge, Masts Sheared Off After Power Loss; 19 Injured

A Mexican navy tall ship on a diplomatic voyage slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge, shearing off its masts and leaving two crew members dead and at least 17 others injured — including two in critical condition, authorities said.

The Cuauhtémoc, a majestic 270-foot training vessel with 277 crew members, was departing New York City en route to Iceland when it reportedly lost power in the East River around 8:30 p.m. and drifted into the bridge. The impact snapped the ship’s 147-foot masts, sending sailors clinging to rigging plummeting and leaving bystanders in shock. (RELATED: Here’s Why It Could Take Longer To Rebuild The Baltimore Bridge Than The Whole Transcontinental Railroad)

🔥🚨BREAKING: Here is footage of the passengers and workers of the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc that ran into the New York Brooklyn Bridge. They were celebrating America’s 250th birthday. pic.twitter.com/qA4YvN7Fb1

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) May 18, 2025

“The boat was coming under the bridge, and there were sailors on top of the boat,” eyewitness Elijah West told reporters. “The sails hit the bridge, and then people were falling off of the boat sails… We were standing under the bridge, and we all started running.”

Videos shared on social media show onlookers gasping as the towering masts crumpled. “She’s about to crash,” one person said in the footage, followed by a panicked, “Oh s–t!”

Ismari Romero, 43, said the festive mood along the waterfront quickly turned grim. “We were celebrating and saying goodbye. Then they reached the Brooklyn Bridge. People were screaming, crying,” Romero told local media.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the vessel lost propulsion and was carried by the current into the span. The Brooklyn Bridge, which has a maximum clearance of 135 feet, sustained minor structural damage and has since reopened, city officials said.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” said Aya Asan, a photographer who had just wrapped a sunset photo session nearby. “I saw people hanging there… It was terrifying.”

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Alfred S. McLaren called the incident “inconceivable,” questioning why the ship’s crew did not drop anchor or use rudder control to avoid collision.

The ship is currently docked near Pier 16, where emergency crews continue rescue and recovery efforts. The two deceased crew members have not yet been publicly identified.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences in a statement, saying she was “deeply saddened” by the loss.

The Cuauhtémoc, built in Spain in 1982, is in the midst of an eight-month world voyage and was visiting New York to promote the upcoming 2026 Sail4th tall ship parade, commemorating the U.S. Semiquincentennial. It was scheduled to be one of 30 Class A tall ships participating in the celebration.

The Mexican Navy has launched a formal investigation into the crash.