Mexican Navy vessel collides with Brooklyn Bridge in New York, resulting in two fatalities
A Mexican Navy sailing vessel crashed into New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least two people and injuries to 19 others, according to Mayor Eric Adams.
“In total, 19 of the 277 people on board sustained injuries two of them critically and tragically, two have died from their injuries,” Adams announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
The collision caused all three of the ship’s masts to snap as the vessel attempted to sail under the iconic 142-year-old bridge, which connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Despite the severity of the impact, Mayor Adams confirmed that the bridge did not suffer significant structural damage.
Videos circulating online show the moment the ship’s masts struck the bridge, splintering and partially collapsing onto the bridge’s deck. The vessel, adorned with a large green, white, and red Mexican flag, then drifted toward the river’s edge as bystanders scattered from the shoreline.
Sailors were seen clinging to the rigging on the damaged masts following the crash. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Eyewitnesses Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told the Associated Press that they were watching the sunset when they saw the ship strike the bridge. One of the masts broke upon impact, and they noticed someone dangling from the rigging.
“We saw someone hanging, and at first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me,” Katz said. “But when we zoomed in with our phone, we could clearly see someone suspended by a harness near the top. They were stuck there for at least 15 minutes before being rescued.”
