DUMBO, Brooklyn – A tragic incident occurred Saturday evening when a Mexican Navy sailboat, the Cuauhtémoc, with 277 people on board, crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge. Authorities report that two individuals lost their lives, and over a dozen others sustained injuries.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed early Sunday that there were two confirmed fatalities as a result of the crash. He also mentioned that two others are in critical condition.
The Cuauhtémoc, a training ship, was maneuvering in the East River when the accident happened. NYPD Chief Wilson Aramboles explained during a press briefing that the captain experienced a loss of power and mechanical failure, which caused the ship to drift into one of the bridge’s pillars. The impact affected several sailors who were in the vicinity of the collision.
Numerous bystanders recorded the event on their cellphones, capturing the moment when the ship’s masts struck the lower part of the Brooklyn Bridge. In one video, a woman filming expressed concerns just before the collision, crying out in Spanish, “It crashed! It crashed!” She then shouted in English for people to “Stop! Stop!” as the ship approached the Dumbo shore.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed in English, before urging in Spanish, “It crashed, it crashed. Run away from there,” as she warned those gathered nearby. The scene along the waterfront was dramatic and chaotic, reflecting the severity of the incident.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the details surrounding this tragic event.
