Two dead, more than a dozen injured after Mexican Navy sailing ship strikes Brooklyn Bridge, officials say

At least two people were killed and more than a dozen others injured when a Mexican Navy training ship carrying 277 passengers struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York Saturday night, officials said.

“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,” New York Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X.

The two individuals who died fell from one of the ship’s masts, a law enforcement official told CNN. They were pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby hospital, the official said. The ship has since been moved to New York’s Pier 36, the official added.

The ship appeared to lose power around 8:20 p.m. as the captain was maneuvering the ship, which forced the vessel towards the bridge’s pillar and the ship’s mast struck the bridge, New York Police Department Chief Wilson Aramboles said at a news conference Saturday.

Officials warned that the information provided is preliminary and subject to change. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation into what happened.

Video shows the Cuauhtémoc’s mast hitting the underside of the bridge and breaking as the vessel passes through, with pieces falling down towards the deck. No visible damage could be seen on the bridge itself, which was open to traffic Saturday night after shuttering briefly.

There were sailors on the bridge’s mast who were injured, Aramboles said.

The Mexican Navy noted 22 were hurt in a post in Spanish on X, with 19 receiving medical attention at local hospitals.

“The status of the personnel and material is under review by naval and local authorities, who are providing support,” the Mexican Navy said.

 

The ship was on a training cruise, which takes place every year, Mexican Navy spokesman Capt. Juan Caballero told CNN.

All lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge were briefly closed in both directions after the incident but had reopened as of 10:30 p.m., according to New York emergency officials.

“While inspections will remain ongoing, there are no signs of structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge at this time,” according to Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for Adams.

NYPD told residents to avoid the area of Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn. “Expect heavy traffic and a large presence of emergency vehicles in the surrounding area,” police said on X.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Mark Morales and Hanna Park contributed to this report.