CV NEWS FEED // A reported power loss aboard a Mexican navy training vessel led to a deadly collision with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening, resulting in two deaths and 19 injuries.
The Cuauhtémoc, a tall ship used for cadet training, was departing New York City when it collided with the bridge while moving in reverse, The Independent reported. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on the East River. All three of the ship’s masts snapped upon impact.
There were 277 people on board the vessel at the time of the collision. Videos recorded by bystanders showed crew members clinging to the mast and suspended from ropes as debris fell to the deck.
One of the deceased was identified as América Yamilet Sánchez, a 20-year-old cadet from Veracruz, Mexico. Her mother, Rocío Hernández, remembered her daughter as “an exemplary daughter” and “a dedicated student” who had only one year left in her training to become a naval engineer, BBC reported. A memorial is planned at the Naval Academy in Veracruz before her body is returned to her hometown of Xalapa.
The second fatality, Adal Jair Marcos from Oaxaca, was also a member of the crew. According to BBC, he had long aspired to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a sailor. Friends said serving aboard the Cuauhtémoc had been his greatest dream.
“All of us who knew him will remember him as a role model of an intelligent youth,” one friend told BBC.
Mexican Navy cadets América Yamilet Sánchez, Adal Jair Marcos ID’d as fatal victims in the Brooklyn Bridge crash.https://t.co/FmrMLD16Vn pic.twitter.com/hnXQ8QLOKR
— Al Michael
(@nyc273) May 19, 2025
Preliminary reports suggest the ship may have veered off course due to a mechanical failure, with the captain reporting a loss of power prior to the collision, according to the Independent. The ship’s masts measured approximately 158 feet, while the bridge’s center clearance is 135 feet.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that the Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer major structural damage and was reopened following a preliminary inspection.
The Cuauhtémoc had arrived at Pier 17 in Manhattan May 13 as part of a scheduled goodwill tour and was set to depart for Iceland. The vessel had previously visited several international ports as part of a training mission for naval cadets.
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