Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has issued a heartbreaking statement after two sailors were killed when a Navy vessel struck the Brooklyn Bridge.
A tragic event unfolded on Saturday evening as the towering 160-foot-tall Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, with 277 crew members aboard, collided with the famous New York City bridge.
Two unidentified passengers were killed after falling from the masts to the ship’s deck, sources told CNN. Dozens more were left severely injured.
Early Sunday, Sheinbaum sent her condolences to the loved ones of the two deceased crew members.
‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of two crew members from the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who tragically died in the accident at New York Harbor. Our condolences and support are with their families,’ she expressed on X.
She indicated that the Navy, along with local officials, is ‘currently attending to the injured,’ and the Mexican ambassador, as well as the U.S. and the Mexican Consulate General in New York, are assisting 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.
Tragedy struck Saturday evening when a massive 150-foot masts Navy vessel, known as the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, carrying a crew of 277, hit the iconic New York City bridge
Early Sunday, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum (pictured in April) sent her condolences to the loved ones of the two deceased crew members
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.
Two unidentified passengers were killed after falling from the masts to the ship’s deck. Dozens more were left severely injured
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.
Historically, the high vantage point of a ship’s masts was used for lookout duties, enabling sailors to detect hazards, approaching ships, or land beyond the horizon, according to TheAge.com.
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.
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
It added that the status of personnel and material was under review by naval and local authorities, which were providing assistance.
The vessel is believed to have experienced some kind of mechanical difficulty that caused the captain to lose control.
A transportation expert told CNN 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 information on its ‘control input,’ Mary Schiavo, CNN transportation analyst and former US Department of Transportation inspector general, said.
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 know as the Sail4th tall 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.
