In a tragic event, the Mexican Navy's tall ship, ARM Cuauhtémoc, struck the Brooklyn Bridge while on a goodwill tour, leading to the deaths of two crew members and injuring 22 others. The accident occurred on Saturday night when the ship, which had 277 people on board, including 175 young naval cadets, veered off course and impacted the bridge's underside, damaging its masts and rigging.
Victims included 20-year-old cadet América Yamileth Sánchez Hernández and 23-year-old sailor Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos. Their families expressed deep sorrow at their loss, particularly as the cadets had shared joyful moments from Central Park just a day prior.
The exact reasons for the collision remain elusive. Maritime experts suggest the ship's propellers may have been inadvertently reversed, while New York Senator Charles Schumer highlighted that the ship didn’t utilize tugboat assistance beforehand, with the responders depicted in some videos arriving after the crash.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that investigations are underway involving the Mexican Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Transportation Safety Board. These inquiries aim to explore whether the cause was mechanical failure, tugboat operations, or human error.
