On May 17, 2025, the Mexican Navy training ship Cuauhtémoc collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The ship's three masts struck the underside of the bridge, snapping upon impact and causing debris to fall onto the ship's deck. The collision occurred less than five minutes after the vessel departed a Manhattan pier, while traveling backward at increasing speed, reaching about six knots at the time of impact
. Tragically, two crew members died, and around 19 others were injured, some critically. The deceased reportedly fell from the ship's masts during the collision. The ship carried 277 people on board, many of whom were naval cadets
. Despite the dramatic crash, the Brooklyn Bridge itself sustained no major structural damage and remained safe for traffic after inspection. The bridge, which is over 140 years old, was described as robust and overbuilt, capable of withstanding such impact without compromising its integrity
. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a thorough investigation involving experts in nautical operations, marine and bridge engineering, and survival factors to determine the exact cause of the incident. Preliminary reports suggest the ship lost power and then unexpectedly surged backward into the bridge, but the full details remain under investigation, which could take up to two years
