A Mexican Navy cadet has been identified as the first victim following the Brooklyn Bridge ship collision incident.
Tragedy struck when the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc collided with New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday evening.
Among the two fatalities reported, the first identified victim is América Yamilet Sánchez, a young navy cadet from Veracruz.
Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle García expressed condolences and support, emphasizing the deep loss for the community and the Mexican Navy.
Details of the Brooklyn Bridge ship collision
The accident occurred around 8:20 p.m., as the Cuauhtémoc, a historic training vessel, was navigating near the Brooklyn side of the East River.
Eyewitness footage showed the tall ship moving backward at speed before its three towering masts struck the bridge.
One by one, the masts snapped under the impact while the ship pressed further into the bridge structure.
Despite the dramatic visuals, authorities reported no injuries among the pedestrians or drivers on the bridge.
Sailors were seen climbing the damaged rigging after the collision, but fortunately, none fell into the river.
The incident immediately drew widespread attention due to the ship’s large Mexican flag and the unusual nature of the crash, which disrupted traffic on one of the city’s busiest bridges.
City officials swiftly halted traffic but allowed it to resume following thorough inspections.
Political reactions and Coast Guard staffing concerns
Senator Schumer urged investigation into whether staffing cuts hurt Coast Guard’s water traffic monitoring ability.
“We know they’ve been meddling with U.S. Coast Guard staffing,” Schumer said.
“Trump relieved Admiral Linda Fagan as Commandant of the USCG, and that position is still vacant. And the hiring freeze has limited the ability for the USCG to staff up the Vehicle Traffic Service, that’s their traffic control operation that acts like Air Traffic Control but on water.
We need action for our national security, infrastructure protection, and public safety.”
According to him, the Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Service, which acts like air traffic control on waterways, had been understaffed due to federal hiring freezes.
Department of Homeland Security denies Staffing Issues Claims
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) promptly refuted these claims.
“The US Coast Guard has been fully supported and been exempt from hiring freezes.
Additionally, this incident had nothing to do with Vessel Traffic Services— when a ship loses propulsion in a high current area, the vessel needs to engage all capabilities to stop and ideally tugs are nearby to support,” DHS said in a post on X.
“We encourage Minority Leader Schumer to get his facts straight before he misleads the American people.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called the crash an unfortunate accident and voiced concern over the political debate following the incident.
NYC Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry echoed that the ship collision appeared accidental, based on current evidence and initial assessments.
“This seems to be a complete accident,” Daughtry said.
“However, we’re going to let the investigators determine what caused…this mechanical malfunction, whether it be with the propulsion system, with the power system…”
Daughtry said Cuauhtémoc’s naval status prevents New York City from having authority or conducting any independent inspections of the vessel.
U.S. and Mexican officials will work together to decide if the NTSB or its Mexican counterpart will lead the ship collision probe.
About the Cuauhtémoc tall ship and voyage
The Cuauhtémoc is a distinguished tall ship, launched in 1982, measuring nearly 300 feet in length and featuring a 160-foot main mast.
It serves as a training vessel for Mexican naval cadets, embarking on annual voyages to complete their education.
This year’s journey began on April 6 from Acapulco on Mexico’s Pacific coast and included a planned series of visits to 22 ports across 15 countries.
The ship arrived in New York City on May 13 and welcomed public visitors for several days before the incident.
Ongoing investigation into the collision cause
The cause remains under investigation as agencies like the NTSB work to determine why the ship veered off course.
The Brooklyn Bridge, a historic landmark opened in 1883, supports over 100,000 vehicles and 32,000 pedestrians daily.
The bridge’s structural integrity was assessed after the accident, and traffic was allowed to resume following the safety inspection.
In the early hours following the collision, tugboats assisted in carefully moving the damaged Cuauhtémoc further up the East River.
The ship passed beneath the Manhattan Bridge before docking at a nearby pier, marking the end of the dramatic event.
Authorities continue to collaborate closely to fully understand the circumstances of the crash and prevent future incidents.