No Bueno: A Mexican Navy Ship Crashed Into the Brooklyn Bridge Tonight

This incident was a slow-moving disaster, leaving multiple injured deckhands behind. A ship from the Mexican Navy, Cuauhtémoc, crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge. Onlookers captured the accident as mast after mast broke off when the vessel couldn’t clear the historic landmark. Sailors at the top of the masts were caught clinging for their lives (via NBC New York):

Another view of the Cuauhtémoc hitting its masts into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday.

The ship is reportedly a Mexican Navy training vessel. pic.twitter.com/Hy8xyxIbEW
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) May 18, 2025

🚨#BREAKING: Watch as a Massive Mexican navy ship crashes into the Brooklyn bridge with 200 passengers on board

📌#Brooklyn | #NewYork

Watch dramatic footage as a Mexican navy ship carrying 200 people crashes into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. The vessel’s 150-foot masts… pic.twitter.com/OpyKpIRiJQ
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) May 18, 2025

NEW: Video shows sailors on the masts of the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc before it hit the Brooklyn bridge. #PuenteDeBrooklyn #Barco #boat pic.twitter.com/gW5GXBfp1a
— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) May 18, 2025

Sailors seen dangling from the Top Masts of the Mexican navy vessel that collided into the Brooklyn Bridge. It appears that several people were hanging and/or clutching on to objects several hundred feet in the air in an attempt to avoid falling.pic.twitter.com/Y3Bt145IxF
— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) May 18, 2025

Why were all these people on the masts of the ship that hit the Brooklyn Bridge?! pic.twitter.com/XWMYBDnV5I
— Jordan Teller (@jbteller) May 18, 2025

A sailboat struck the base of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening causing multiple injuries, according to the NYPD.
The crash, which happened just before 8:30 p.m., occurred when the Mexican navy ship Cuauhtémoc hit the bridge during a sailing maneuver on a training cruise, according to a social media post from the Mexican navy. The ship apparently lost steering power and was pulled into the bridge by the river's current, according to an NYPD official.
At least four people are believed to have critical injuries with about 15 other injuries onboard, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who said a total of 277 people were onboard at the time of the incident. The injured were taken to Bellevue Hospital, the mayor said.
The most critically injured sailors were up on the mast of the ship at the time it crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, officials said. No one fell into the water, but divers went into the water as a precaution, according to three police officials briefed.
All lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge were closed in both directions but have since reopened, according to NYC emergency management officials.

Obviously, something went very wrong regarding the logistics. Who doesn’t know if their ship can clear a bridge or not.

https://t.co/kqJMOyG13M pic.twitter.com/ytu1dIDNQi
— Anang Mittal अनंग मित्तल (@anangbhai) May 18, 2025

UPDATE: NYC Mayor Adams says two people have died.

Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge.

At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries. pic.twitter.com/mlaCX0X8Mh
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) May 18, 2025