NYC mayor Eric Adams said the two crew remained in serious condition and another 17 people were injured.
All three masts on the tall ship flying the massive Mexican flag hit the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City before 8:30pm on Saturday night.
The update stated that 22 people were injured, of whom 19 said they needed medical assistance.
The 142-year-old bridge was heavily damaged, Adams said.
The search and rescue operation reportedly attended an injured seafarer standing on the ship’s mast during the collision.
“I saw someone hanging. I couldn’t tell if it was blurry or my eyes. I was able to enlarge the phone. There was someone hanging from the harness for at least 15 minutes ago,” Lily Katz said.
Witnesses reported that the bridge had visibly shook from the collision. When the ship’s mast hit the side of the bridge, hundreds of cars were still on the bridge crossing the East River.
According to the Mexican Navy, the ship was bred by a strong crew of 277 with around 150 cadets, but it departed from Manhattan’s Pier 17, crossed the bridge northward, and headed towards the Brooklyn side of the river.
“I would like to thank the mayor for his support and we will continue to help them in all our ways we can,” he said.
The ship loses power
NYPD Special Operations Chief Wilson Alambores told reporters, according to preliminary information: “The captain piloting the ship and current mechanical capabilities will cause the ship to arrive at the bridge pillar and hit the mast on top of the ship with several crew members.
“These crews were injured as the mast hit the bridge.”
After the collision, the tugboat was able to hold the East River ship in place between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
The ship was specially built in 1982 to train cadets at the heroic Naval Military Academy in Mexico. Every year, we embark on a series of expanded training cruises to promote cultural exchanges and strengthen diplomatic relations around the world.
Departing from Acapulco, Mexico in mid-April was in Manhattan as part of the training cruise “Integration of Independence in Mexico 2025.” I was visiting Kingston, Jamaica. Havana, Cuba. Before arriving in New York on May 13th, Cozumel, Mexico.
Damage to the ship is to “prevent the continued guidance cruise for the time being.”
“The status of personnel and equipment is under review by the Navy and local governments providing assistance.
“The Navy Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to personnel safety, transparency of its operations and excellent training of future officers of the Mexican Navy,” he added.
The Cuauhtémoc, a masted Mexican Navy training vessel, is stuck after colliding with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on May 17, 2025. Kyle Viterbo/AP Photo
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
