A tragic incident occurred Saturday evening when a Mexican navy training ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, snapping its masts and injuring dozens during a goodwill visit to New York City. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

A tragic incident occurred Saturday evening when a Mexican navy training ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, snapping its masts and injuring dozens during a goodwill visit to New York City
AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

The ship, Cuauhtemoc, unexpectedly reversed at high speed along the East River before all three masts collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, sending parts of the rigging crashing down as people scrambled for safety.

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Officials confirmed the ship carried 277 crew members and was flying a large Mexican flag. Emergency services treated 19 individuals, and two later died from their injuries, according to Mayor Eric Adams.

Despite the severity of the crash, the iconic 142-year-old Brooklyn Bridge remained structurally sound. Traffic halted briefly after the incident but resumed following a safety inspection by city engineers.

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The National Transportation Safety Board deployed a team Sunday to determine why the vessel veered off course. Initial reports suggest a mechanical failure disabled the ship’s power system just after it left a Manhattan pier.

Video footage shows a nearby tugboat attempting to assist during the crash. However, the ship’s momentum carried it into the bridge and then into a nearby pier, prompting bystanders to flee.

Brooklyn Bridge Witnesses Describe ‘Pandemonium’

Eyewitnesses described chaos on deck. One sailor dangled from a harness for nearly 15 minutes before being rescued. Others clung to rigging amid broken masts but avoided falling into the river.

Mexico’s navy confirmed Cuauhtemoc was a training vessel on a 254-day, 15-nation tour. It left Acapulco in April and docked in New York on May 13. The ship, nearly 300 feet long, features a main mast over 160 feet high.

President Claudia Sheinbaum extended condolences to the victims’ families. Admiral Morales Ángeles promised transparency in the investigation and thanked New York’s first responders for their swift assistance.

Source: www.notllocal.com

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