The Mexican Navy ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge likely suffered a ‘mechanical issue’ before losing power, according to police.
The massive 160-foot-high Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, carrying a crew of 277, smashed into the iconic New York City bridge around 9pm Saturday.
Two unidentified crew members were killed after falling from the masts to the ship’s deck, sources told CNN.
A total of 22 crew members have been reported injured as of Sunday morning, with at least 11 in critical condition, Mexican Navy officials said.
Following the tragic event, Chief Wilson Aramboles from the NYPD Special Operations Bureau stated that ‘some mechanical issues’ were likely responsible for the ship striking the bridge.
‘The captain maneuvering the ship lost, I guess, power of the ship,’ Aramboles mentioned to reporters, while indicating that the details were preliminary.
A graphic posted to X appeared to show the massive ship losing power and stalling in the water just before reaching the bridge.
The records indicate that the ship undocked at Seaport in Lower Manhattan around 8:20 pm, accompanied by a tugboat. It was then observed rapidly losing control as it began moving backward toward the Brooklyn Bridge.
The vessel was then seen drifting toward the Manhattan Bridge before it was saved by NYPD and FDNY boats.
A transportation expert told the outlet the ship’s voyage data recorder will provide important information about what went wrong just before the crash.
The recorder is expected to reveal information about the ship’s mechanics and when power may have been lost. It will also likely provide investigators with crucial details on its ‘control input,’ Mary Schiavo, CNN transportation analyst and former US Department of Transportation inspector general, said.
Early Sunday, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum sent her condolences to the loved ones of the two deceased crew members.
‘We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our sympathy and support go out to their families,’ she wrote on X.
She confirmed that the Navy and local authorities are ‘currently treating the wounded’ and that the Mexican ambassador, the U.S. and the Mexican Consulate General in New York are also supporting the Navy.
‘I thank New York Mayor Eric Adams for all the support he has provided to our fellow citizens. We are monitoring the situation, and the Navy will continue to provide updates,’ Sheinbaum added.
In multiple eyewitness videos, the towering masts were seen snapping and partially collapsing as they crashed into the bridge’s deck.
Sailors perched high above are thrown into chaos, with some seen clinging to the shattered beams high up in the air.
Nick Corso, who had just taken his phone out to take a picture of the ship and bridge during the sunset, told the Associated Press he suddenly heard what he described as the snapping of a ‘big twig’ when the ship hit the 141-year-old bridge.
Other bystanders told the outlet they were also admiring the sunset when they saw the vessel strike the bridge and one of its masts snap.
Looking closer, they said they noticed someone hanging from high on the ship.
‘We saw someone dangling, and I couldn’t tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for like at least like 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them,’ Katz said.
They reported seeing two people taken off the ship on stretchers and transferred to smaller boats.
The Navy personnel had been standing on the masts of the Mexican Navy ship as part of a ceremonial greeting and show of respect upon entering a port.
This tradition, known as ‘manning the yards,’ is a longstanding maritime custom practiced worldwide.
The sailors aboard the Cuauhtémoc appeared to have been engaged in this time-honored ritual during the harrowing crash.
The Mexican navy said in a post on the social platform X that the Cuauhtemoc, an academy training vessel, was damaged in an accident with the Brooklyn Bridge that prevented it from continuing its voyage.
Emotional footage showed the moment hundreds of New Yorkers applauded for first responders as they rescued victims from the vessel.
FDNY, NYPD, and the US Coast Guard coordinated a rapid search and rescue operation, deploying divers and emergency boats to evacuate the injured from the ship crash.
The FDNY and NYPD Harbor Unit worked together to secure the area and ensure the safety of everyone aboard the stricken ship.
The ship was built in 1982 and was in the Big Apple as part of a promotional for year’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday – also known as the Sail4th 250 ship event.
New York City was the vessel’s third stop in its eight-month journey around the world, as Mexican sailors also got to visit Portugal, Iceland, Jamaica, and Germany, among other locations, according to an April press release.
