Yachting Art Magazine

Two dead and nineteen injured after spectacular accident involving Mexican navy three-masted ship

The Brooklyn Bridge was the scene of a maritime tragedy on Saturday evening when a Mexican military sailing ship crashed into the structure, killing two people and injuring nineteen, two of whom are in a serious condition. The ship, caught in a failed manoeuvre, lost all propulsion as it approached the famous New York landmark.

The accident occurred shortly after the departure of the Cuauhtémoc, a majestic 48-metre-high three-masted ship built in 1982 and used as a training vessel by the Mexican navy. Illuminated and with all sails set, it was leaving the quays of Manhattan, flying a large national flag, before heading towards the East River. According to the authorities, a technical failure prevented the crew from correcting the course in time, causing the yacht to crash into a bridge pier on the Brooklyn side.

The scene, witnessed by many passers-by, quickly descended into chaos. Witnesses described screams and conflicting orders on board as the crew desperately tried to avoid the obstacle. ‘There was a man waving his arms from the back of the ship. Everyone seemed confused,’ said Nick Corso, a 23-year-old Brooklyn resident who was at the scene.

New York Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the figures in a statement posted on X: ‘Of the 277 people on board, 19 were injured, including two who are in critical condition. Sadly, two others did not survive their injuries.’ He said the incident was related to a loss of power on the ship.

The impact was extremely violent, smashing the yacht's masts against the metal structure of the bridge, causing a shockwave visible hundreds of metres away. Wilson Aramboles, head of special operations for the New York Police Department, said that the Cuauhtémoc had no propulsion at the time of the collision.

Despite the severity of the accident, no passengers fell into the water, according to the Mexican navy. This circumstance prevented more complex rescue operations in the waters of the East River.