by 19 Injured After Mexican Navy Training Ship Hits Brooklyn Bridge
At least 19 people were injured Saturday night when a Mexican Navy training ship with 277 people on board struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge, according to officials from both the New York Police Department and the Mexican Navy.
Dramatic video captured the moment the ship’s tall mast collided with the bridge, snapping apart as the vessel passed beneath it. Debris from the broken mast fell onto the ship’s deck. Fortunately, no visible damage was reported on the bridge itself, which reopened to traffic shortly after a brief closure.
The incident happened around 8:26 p.m. NYPD confirmed that multiple people were being treated for injuries. New York City Mayor Eric Adams later stated that four of the 19 injured suffered serious injuries. Earlier reports indicated that as many as 20 people may have been hurt.
The Mexican Navy identified the vessel as the Cuauhtémoc, a training sailboat used for annual cruises. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Navy said the incident had caused damage to the ship, temporarily halting its voyage. They added that naval and local authorities are reviewing the condition of both the crew and the vessel.
Capt. Juan Caballero, a spokesman for the Mexican Navy, told CNN that they are still working to confirm the exact number of people aboard at the time of the crash.
As a precaution, all lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge were briefly closed in both directions but reopened by 10:30 p.m., according to New York emergency officials.
“There are no signs of structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge at this time,” said Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams, while noting that inspections are still ongoing.
In the meantime, the NYPD urged the public to avoid the area around the Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn. Police also warned of heavy traffic and a strong emergency response presence in the surrounding neighborhoods.
