Watch as, on Saturday, the Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican navy tall ship, ran aground on the famous Brooklyn Bridge. This horrible accident killed two people. The 297-foot-long vessel, which serves as an academy training ship for the Mexican navy, was visiting New York City on a promotional tour. During its passage through the East River, it apparently lost all power and crashed into the bridge.
At the time of the incident, Cuauhtémoc was carrying 277 people on board. Eyewitnesses said that the vessel’s main mast clipped the bridge’s superstructure span. This impact resulted in all three masts breaking and crashing down partially onto the ship deck. The impact caused catastrophic damage to the ship, which has now been able to continue its intended voyage.
Cuauhtémoc was prepared to take a long, far reaching journey. He would stop at 22 ports in 15 countries over the course of 254 days, with 170 days at sea and 84 days in port. The ship’s schedule was to have made port in Reykjavik, Iceland, Bordeaux, Saint Malo and Dunkirk in France, and Aberdeen, Scotland, among others.
The grounding took place shortly after noon on Saturday when Cuauhtémoc experienced a power failure while transiting the East River. As a result of this loss of control, the ship collided into the bridge with devastating effects.
In response to the accident, the Mexican navy released a public statement reiterating its dedication to the safety of personnel and transparency in operations.
“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.”
As the investigation into what caused the crash is ongoing, officials are looking at the possibility of mechanical failure and navigational hurdles. The accident has furthered public discussion and outcry about maritime safety protocols and operational procedures for vessels navigating through congested waterways.
“The secretary of the navy renews its commitment to the safety of personnel, transparency in its operations and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Armada,” – The Mexican navy.
As investigations into the cause of the collision continue, authorities are focusing on both mechanical failure and navigational challenges. The accident has raised concerns regarding maritime safety protocols and operational procedures for vessels in busy waterways.