By JOSHUA GOODMAN and SUSAN HAIGH
When a Mexican navy tall ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, it was maneuvering in turbulent waters. The tide had simply turned, and a quick present was heading up the East River as a ten mph wind set in.
Whereas such hazards are simply dealt with by an skilled captain, errors could be pricey within the closely transited New York harbor, the place slender, curvy channels, winds howling off the jagged Manhattan skyline and whirlpool-like eddies can mix to make for troublesome passage.
Within the case of the 300-foot (90-meter) Cuauhtemoc, two sailors had been killed and 19 had been injured Saturday night when the coaching ship struck the enduring bridge, toppling the vessel’s three masts like dominoes because it drifted towards a crowded pier. It’s unknown what prompted the collision, and an investigation by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board is prone to take months.
However footage of the collision shot by horrified onlookers present the ship hurtling into the bridge in reverse at full velocity, suggesting the captain misplaced management of the engine. There are additionally questions on whether or not a tugboat escort peeled away too quickly and may have been rigged to the ship or stayed with it till it headed out to sea. Comparable tugboat issues emerged when a big cargo vessel crashed right into a bridge in Baltimore final yr.
Sal Mercogliano, a former service provider mariner who has powered a number of ships by means of the New York harbor, stated all these “worst-case scenarios” — the ship’s top, a powerful present, heavy wind and the absence of a extra managed tugboat escort — all contributed to the tragedy.
“The prudent thing would’ve been to leave two hours earlier, when the tide was going out. That would’ve been the ideal time,” stated Mercogliano, who writes a broadly adopted delivery weblog. “But I don’t think they ever envisioned that their engine would’ve propelled them into the bridge.”
Nonetheless, he stated a fair deadlier disaster was averted by the ship’s metal rigging, which prevented the masts from falling into the water, in addition to the truth that the crew stayed harnessed in place relatively than taking the chance that some members might tumble from a 12-story top as they scrambled down the rat strains.
“You could have had guys strapped in drowning in the river,” he stated. “This could have been a lot worse.”
Mexican authorities advised the household of América Yamilet Sánchez that the 20-year-old sailor died after falling from one of many Cuauhtemoc’s masts, her aunt María del Rosario Hernández Jacome stated Sunday on the household’s residence in Xalapa within the Mexican state of Veracruz.
Earlier within the day Saturday, Sánchez, who was finding out engineering on the Mexican naval academy, had spoken together with her mom and excitedly advised her that the ship’s subsequent cease could be Iceland. Her mother and father traveled to Mexico Metropolis on Sunday to rearrange for the return of their daughter’s physique, Hernández stated.
Kin and buddies arrived on the household’s residence carrying flowers. A small altar was arrange on the patio with {a photograph} of Sánchez and candles.
Ship was on a goodwill tour
The Cuauhtemoc visited New York as a part of a 15-nation international goodwill tour and was departing when it struck the bridge at round 8:20 p.m., briefly halting site visitors atop the span.
Mayor Eric Adams stated the 142-year-old bridge escaped main injury, however at the least 19 of the 277 sailors aboard the ship wanted medical remedy. Two of the 4 individuals who suffered severe accidents later died.
The Cuauhtemoc sailed for the primary time in 1982. It’s virtually 300 ft lengthy and its foremost mast has a top of 160 ft (50 meters), about 30 ft (9 meters) increased than the span of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The vessel, which arrived in New York on Could 13, backed out from the tourist-heavy South Avenue Seaport, the place it had been docked for a number of days welcoming guests. It’s unknown if the Mexican captain requested a dock pilot to help with the unmooring, however a harbor pilot was on board to sail it by means of the harbor, as required.
Monitoring information from Marine Site visitors and eyewitness movies present that an 1,800-horsepower tugboat, the Charles D. McAllister, gently nudged the vessel because it backed astern into the channel however dropped off earlier than the vessel turned. Seconds later, because the ship continued drifting within the flawed path, the tugboat tried to overhaul the vessel however arrived too late to wedge itself between the fast-moving ship and the Brooklyn riverbank.
McAllister Towing, the corporate that might have operated the tug and been liable for any docking pilot aboard, declined to remark.
Some vessels keep away from harbor due to low bridges
Accidents in New York harbor are uncommon as a result of massive cargo ships and trendy warships typically keep away from the world because of the low top of the bridges. However in July 2026, the harbor is anticipated to play host to the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from world wide to have fun the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US.
Mercogliano stated investigators will consider whether or not the Mexican crew carried out the really helpful security checks previous to their departure. Sometimes that entails testing the engine’s propellers, rudder and propulsion six to 12 hours upfront to verify every little thing is working correctly and nothing is left to likelihood.
“It’s not like your car where you’re just throwing your shifter,” he stated.
On Sunday, the broken ship was moored at Pier 35 in decrease Manhattan. A stream of individuals, together with those that gave the impression to be investigators and crew, might be seeing getting on and off the vessel.
The Coast Guard stated injury to the Cuauhtémoc was being assessed. The Coast Guard established a 50-yard (46-meter) security zone across the ship because the investigation by each the U.S. and Mexican governments obtained underway.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat and the Senate minority chief, stated any investigation ought to look into whether or not the Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze affected the U.S. Coast Guard’s staffing ranges, security procedures and accident-response readiness.
“After being fully briefed on last night’s Brooklyn Bridge accident, one thing is predominantly clear: There are more questions than answers as it relates to exactly how this accident occurred,” Schumer stated.
Related Press Author Alba Alemán in Xalapa, Mexico, contributed to this report.
Initially Revealed: Could 18, 2025 at 2:59 PM PDT
