Here’s why the Mexican Navy ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge

On the evening of May 17, 2025, the Mexican Navy’s training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, a large and impressive sailing vessel on a worldwide goodwill mission, crashed into the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York City in a tragic accident. The collision broke all three of the ship’s masts and led to the deaths of two crew members while injuring nineteen others out of the 277 people on board.

Although the Brooklyn Bridge itself only suffered minor damage, the event has brought up serious concerns about how the crash happened and what factors may have contributed to it. The Cuauhtémoc, a 297-foot-long ship first launched in 1982, was on an important journey planned to stop at 22 ports in 15 different countries.

Its trip began in Acapulco, Mexico, on April 6, and it had reached New York City on May 13 for public tours and events. According to The Independent, the ship’s route included visits to Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; and many other international locations, showcasing its role as a symbol of Mexican naval strength and global friendship. This voyage was also a training mission for naval cadets, making the accident even more significant due to its impact on their education and the Navy as a whole.

The Mexican Navy ship did not crash into the Brooklyn Bridge on purpose

It was not because of the Mexican Gulf rename. Instead, eyewitness reports and video recordings show a troubling scene in the moments before the crash. As you can see from the videos here, the Cuauhtémoc was seen moving backward at high speed as it neared the Brooklyn side of the East River. Even though a tugboat was nearby, a mechanical failure, specifically a loss of engine power, is thought to have left the Cuauhtémoc unable to steer away from the bridge and caused the accident.

The ship’s tallest mast was 158 feet high, far exceeding the bridge’s 135-foot clearance at its center. This height difference was a major reason the impact was so severe. The force of the crash caused the ship’s masts to break apart, sending debris falling onto the deck and leaving several crew members hanging dangerously from the damaged rigging. A large rescue operation was quickly launched, involving emergency responders and the Coast Guard.

The injured sailors were taken to nearby hospitals, and a detailed investigation was started to determine the exact cause of the accident. While the loss of power is seen as the main reason for the crash, investigators are looking into whether other factors played a role. These could include mistakes in navigation, poor communication between the ship’s crew and the tugboat, or even weather conditions at the time. The investigation will review the ship’s maintenance history, navigation charts, communication records, and weather data to fully understand what happened.

The bridge was recently part of the House of the Dragon promotion, but it will likely be remembered for this.

The investigation will also evaluate the training and procedures of the ship’s crew, especially how they responded to the loss of power and their attempts to avoid the bridge. The fact that a tugboat was nearby, usually there to help with maneuvering, suggests there may have been coordination problems or that the tugboat could not stop the collision despite its presence. The full investigation into the cause of the crash is expected to provide important lessons on preventing similar accidents in the future and improving maritime safety rules worldwide.