Mexican Navy Tall Ship Strikes Brooklyn Bridge : Sparks Mass Casualty Response
Brooklyn, NY – May 19, 2025 — In a shocking maritime accident on Saturday night, a Mexican Navy tall ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge, triggering a frantic search and rescue operation in the waters of New York City. The collision occurred shortly before 9 p.m. on May 17, when one of the towering masts of the ARM Cuauhtémoc, a 270-foot training vessel belonging to the Mexican Navy, hit the underside of the historic bridge.
According to sources cited by the New York Post, the ship was carrying approximately 200 people, including crew and guests, when the 147-foot mast collided with the bridge. The impact sent portions of the rigging crashing onto the deck and reportedly knocked several people overboard. Emergency responders quickly mobilized to retrieve victims from the water and transport the injured to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and area hospitals.
Authorities have confirmed that many on board sustained injuries, with at least two individuals currently in critical condition. The incident has been classified by the Mexican Navy as a “mass casualty event,” according to The Mirror. The exact number of people injured remains unclear as the operation continues into Sunday morning.
Shocking video footage of the moment the mast struck the bridge has flooded social media, with dramatic clips capturing the sound of the collision and the ensuing panic. “Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag,” wrote one eyewitness on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a video that shows the ship’s mast crashing against the bridge structure.
Other posts offered similarly stunned commentary: “A massive pirate ship just hit the Brooklyn Bridge,” read one video caption. Another viral post stated, “In an absolutely stunning modern metaphor, a ship blaring Mexican music and flying a massive Mexican flag just got destroyed by the Brooklyn Bridge. Can’t make it up.”
The ARM Cuauhtémoc is a well-known training vessel in the Mexican Navy, often used for diplomatic voyages and goodwill missions. The ship was built in Bilbao, Spain, in 1982 and has since served as a floating ambassador for Mexico, visiting ports around the world. Its majestic appearance — complete with tall masts, billowing sails, and ceremonial crews — has made it a fixture at international naval festivals.
However, the circumstances surrounding Cuauhtémoc’s presence in the East River Saturday night remain unclear. Questions are being raised about the vessel’s route, height clearance protocols, and whether there was a failure in navigation or communication with port authorities.
The U.S. Coast Guard and the New York City Office of Emergency Management have launched a joint investigation into the incident. A spokesperson for the NYPD confirmed that marine units were deployed within minutes of the collision, and divers were in the water overnight searching for any missing persons.
“This is a deeply disturbing incident,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban in a late-night press briefing. “Our first priority is to ensure the safety of all individuals affected and to support our partners in the rescue and investigation efforts.”
The collision also raises renewed concerns about maritime safety in urban waterways, particularly in light of recent tragic events. The Cuauhtémoc incident follows last year’s catastrophic bridge collapse in Baltimore, when the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024. That disaster resulted in the deaths of six construction workers and the complete destruction of a 1.6-mile-long structure. Maryland officials have since announced plans to rebuild the bridge by 2028.
Though the Brooklyn Bridge sustained no apparent structural damage in Saturday night’s collision, engineers from the Department of Transportation are conducting an urgent assessment to determine whether repairs are needed. The bridge, completed in 1883, is one of New York’s most iconic landmarks and remains a critical artery between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
As the rescue mission continues and authorities work to determine the full scope of the incident, questions loom over how a towering sailing vessel found itself in such a vulnerable position beneath one of the busiest bridges in the country. For now, the focus remains on saving lives and providing aid to those affected by a maritime accident that has rattled New York City and beyond.
