Mexican navy ship Cuauhtémoc hits the Brooklyn Bridge, 19 people onboard injured
A sailboat struck the base of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening causing multiple injuries, according to the NYPD. The crash, which happened just before 8:30 p.m., occurred when the Mexican navy ship Cuauhtémoc hit the bridge during a sailing maneuver on a training cruise, according to a social media post from the Mexican navy. The ship apparently lost steering power and was pulled into the bridge by the river’s current, according to an NYPD official. At least four people are believed to have critical injuries with about 15 other injuries onboard, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who said a total of 277 people were onboard at the time of the incident. The injured were taken to Bellevue Hospital, the mayor said. The most critically injured sailors were up on the mast of the ship at the time it crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, officials said. No one fell into the water, but divers went into the water as a precaution, according to three police officials briefed. All lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge were closed in both directions but have since reopened, according to NYC emergency management officials. No major damage occurred to the bridge, the Department of Transportation said. Emergency management officials and inspectors continue to assess what damage, if any, was done to the bridge during the crash. At the time of the crash, the ship had left the South Street Seaport Museum and was heading to Iceland, according to NYPD Chief of Special Operations Wilson Aramboles. The ship was authorized to be in the East River, Aramboles said. Bystanders could be heard cheering and chanting as rescuers removed sailors from the ship and brought them on stretchers to safety. The ship arrived earlier in the week and was docked at Pier 17 of the South Street Seaport Museum and had been open for tours during the week. According to the museum, the ship was built at the Celaya Shipyards in Bilbao, Spain in 1981. “The Mexican Navy Tall Ship was here on an independent official goodwill visit and welcomed dignitaries and media while docked at Pier 17. That said, we had hoped and expected she would join the parade of international tall ships on July 4, 2026 for America’s 250th,” a spokesperson for Sail4th 250 said. The ship was no currently committed to participate in next year’s event. The NYPD urged people to avoid the area of Dumbo in Brooklyn and the South Street Seaport in Manhattan while the investigation continues. ADVISORY: Due to a collision investigation, avoid the area of Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn. Expect heavy traffic and a large presence of emergency vehicles in the surrounding area. pic.twitter.com/bo7ZA95nmR— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) May 18, 2025 Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the NTSB will now be taking over the investigation and will conduct a full review of the situation. NYCEM is responding to an incident at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The situation is developing and details are not confirmed at this time. Emergency alerts, including recommended actions, will be issued through @NotifyNYC as updates become available. To stay informed, text… https://t.co/XZjJIk9INF— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) May 18, 2025
A sailboat struck the base of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening causing multiple injuries, according to the NYPD.
The crash, which happened just before 8:30 p.m., occurred when the Mexican navy ship Cuauhtémoc hit the bridge during a sailing maneuver on a training cruise, according to a social media post from the Mexican navy. The ship apparently lost steering power and was pulled into the bridge by the river’s current, according to an NYPD official.
At least four people are believed to have critical injuries with about 15 other injuries onboard, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who said a total of 277 people were onboard at the time of the incident. The injured were taken to Bellevue Hospital, the mayor said.
The most critically injured sailors were up on the mast of the ship at the time it crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, officials said. No one fell into the water, but divers went into the water as a precaution, according to three police officials briefed.
All lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge were closed in both directions but have since reopened, according to NYC emergency management officials. No major damage occurred to the bridge, the Department of Transportation said. Emergency management officials and inspectors continue to assess what damage, if any, was done to the bridge during the crash.
At the time of the crash, the ship had left the South Street Seaport Museum and was heading to Iceland, according to NYPD Chief of Special Operations Wilson Aramboles. The ship was authorized to be in the East River, Aramboles said.
Bystanders could be heard cheering and chanting as rescuers removed sailors from the ship and brought them on stretchers to safety.
The ship arrived earlier in the week and was docked at Pier 17 of the South Street Seaport Museum and had been open for tours during the week. According to the museum, the ship was built at the Celaya Shipyards in Bilbao, Spain in 1981.
“The Mexican Navy Tall Ship was here on an independent official goodwill visit and welcomed dignitaries and media while docked at Pier 17. That said, we had hoped and expected she would join the parade of international tall ships on July 4, 2026 for America’s 250th,” a spokesperson for Sail4th 250 said. The ship was no currently committed to participate in next year’s event.
The NYPD urged people to avoid the area of Dumbo in Brooklyn and the South Street Seaport in Manhattan while the investigation continues.
ADVISORY: Due to a collision investigation, avoid the area of Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn. Expect heavy traffic and a large presence of emergency vehicles in the surrounding area. pic.twitter.com/bo7ZA95nmR— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) May 18, 2025
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the NTSB will now be taking over the investigation and will conduct a full review of the situation.
NYCEM is responding to an incident at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The situation is developing and details are not confirmed at this time. Emergency alerts, including recommended actions, will be issued through @NotifyNYC as updates become available. To stay informed, text… https://t.co/XZjJIk9INF— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) May 18, 2025
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