A search and rescue team was dispatched on Saturday night after the 147-foot masts on a Mexican navy tall ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
The ship has a crew of 277 people. It is unclear how many were on board when the collision occurred.
Video from the scene shows bystanders running away and screaming as the ship approaches the waterfront. Crew members on board can be seen panicking and signaling distress to nearby vessels.
The ship appears to be moving in reverse as it attempts to clear the bridge.
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Another angle shows the crash from the side of the ship. Bystanders were lined up watching the ship pass and shouted “Oh no!” when it collided.
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The ship arrived in Manhattan on Tuesday, reportedly in preparation for next year’s Fourth of July celebration — the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
New York Post reported on Tuesday, “The vessel, built in Spain in 1982 with the sole purpose of training cadets, is expected to be one of 30 Class A International Tall Ships that will parade through the Harbor on July 4, 2026 — in an impressive processional that will also include scores of smaller vessels, a dramatic military flyover and a fireworks finale.”
Per New York Post:
A massive Mexican navy tall ship making a festive visit to New York slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday — toppling one of its huge masts into the deck in a horrifying scene that left multiple crew members seriously injured, according to fire officials and sources.
A search and rescue operation was underway to pull people out of the water after one of the towering 147-foot masts on the Cuauhtémoc — which has a crew of 277 — collided with the bridge’s road deck just before 9 p.m., sources told The Post.
Victims are being transported to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with those in critical condition being taken to a nearby hospital for additional treatment.
