Mexican ship accident claims lives, impacts Brooklyn Bridge
A Mexican training tall ship with 277 people on board clipped New York City's historic Brooklyn Bridge on the East River on Saturday. The accident resulted in two fatalities and injured 19 others, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced in a post on X.
The Mexican training ship hit the lower part of the 142-year-old bridge's structure, breaking the mast, fragments of which fell onto the deck. According to CNN, the bridge was not damaged and was reopened to traffic after a short delay.
Mexican tall ship collided with the bridge
Two people died and 19 were injured in the accident, Mayor Eric Adams announced in a post on X.
- Many people are receiving assistance, CNN quotes a spokesperson for the New York City Police Department.
"While maneuvering on the river, the tall ship 'Cuauhtémoc' in New York collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, causing damage to the training ship and temporarily preventing the voyage from continuing. The status of the personnel and equipment is being checked by the navy and local authorities, who are providing support," the Mexican Navy reported in a post in Spanish on the X platform.
As explained in a conversation with CNN by Captain Juan Caballero, spokesperson for the Mexican Navy, the tall ship was on an annual training voyage. The number of people on board is being determined. The three-masted 'Cuauhtémoc,' over 295 feet long and 39 feet wide, was launched in 1982.
Brooklyn Bridge was not damaged
After the incident, all traffic lanes on the bridge were briefly closed in both directions. The bridge, connecting the boroughs with Brooklyn, was reopened for use at 10:30 PM. According to New York City authorities, more than 100,000 vehicles and approximately 32,000 pedestrians use the 1,610-foot bridge each day.
Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for the New York City Mayor, stated that while inspections are ongoing, there is currently no indication of any structural issues with the Brooklyn Bridge.
