Mexican Navy Tall Ship Slams Into Brooklyn Bridge After Power Failure, Leaving 2 Dead and 17 Injured
A scenic send-off turned tragic Saturday night when a Mexican navy tall ship, the Cuauhtémoc, lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people and injuring 17 others, including four critically.
The massive vessel, known for its ceremonial sails and cadet training missions, had just departed a Manhattan pier and was supposed to be heading out to sea, not under the bridge. But mechanical failure caused it to lose steering and power, sending it drifting backward into the iconic structure.
In a terrifying detail, two sailors were reportedly on top of one of the 147-foot masts when it slammed into the bridge.
The ship, carrying a crew of 277, most of them cadets, was in the U.S. on a goodwill tour. The exact cause of the failure remains under investigation, but officials confirm the ship was never cleared to sail beneath the bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge has since been inspected for structural damage, while the Mexican Navy and U.S. authorities are launching parallel investigations into what went wrong.
One maritime expert noted: “These tall ships aren’t just majestic — they’re mechanically complex. And when something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic.”
What was meant to be a ceremonial exit turned into a horrifying spectacle.
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