A historic Mexican naval training ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City Saturday night, injuring 19 people, four seriously, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
Others were being checked out, and divers were probing waters at the scene as a precaution, according to three police sources with knowledge of the incident.
Adams said at a news conference Saturday night that the tall ship with 277 people on board suffered a mechanical mishap that caused it to veer into the bridge as it had set sail from Pier 17 en route to sea.
“The pilot lost power of the ship,” he said, adding that two crew members were on a mast and were injured in the collision.
Chief Wilson Aramboles of the New York Police Department’s Special Operations Division said the collision happened about 8:20 p.m.
Inspectors were immediately dispatched to assess the condition of the bridge, the police sources said. New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the head of bridge division was at the scene, with a preliminary assessment concluding there were no signs of major damage.
Adams said the bridge was open.
No one fell into the water, officials said at the news conference. The ship was ultimately headed to Iceland, Aramboles of the NYPD said.
Video from the scene showed a mast from the ship striking the bridge, with people on the mast hanging on.
Witnesses interviewed by NBC New York said the boat, which at least one said was no stranger to the East River and local waters, appeared to have a party-like atmosphere with music.
As one apparent casualty of the collision was wheeled away on a gurney in what looked to be a conscious state, onlookers chanted, “Mexico, Mexico!”
The vessel was identified by a Mexican diplomat at the news conference as ARM Cuauhtémoc, a historic Mexican Navy training vessel.
Though it’s listed as a sailing ambassador for Mexico for next year’s Sail4th 250 celebrations, a spokesperson for the event said in a statement Saturday night that the “Mexican Tall Ship Cuauhtémoc is not one of the ships committed thus far to participate in next year’s Sail4th 250 event.”
The spokesperson continued, “Chris O’Brien, President of Sail4th 250, is deeply saddened by what he’s learning about this evening’s collision and is following the news with the injured sailors in his prayers.”
The New York City-area events will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, with what is being billed as the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from around the world.
The UK nonprofit Sail Training International describes the vessel a being built in Bilbao, Spain, in 1981 and originally called “Celaya.”
“She was later acquired by the Mexican Navy as a training vessel for officers, cadets, petty officers and sailors,” according to the group. “Cuauhtemoc sailed the world for thirteen years and in 1995 underwent a major refit of the ship and rigging.”
The New York Police Department said it was investigating the incident. Officials at the news conference said the National Transportation Safety Board would also probe the cause of the collision.
Police asked people to stay away from the area of the bridge and nearby streets.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.