On the evening of Saturday, May 17, 2025, a tragic maritime accident occurred when the Mexican Navy’s training vessel, ARM Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The incident resulted in the deaths of two naval cadets and injuries to at least 22 others, including three critically injured crew members.
The Incident
At approximately 8:26 p.m. EDT, the Cuauhtémoc, a 297-foot-long tall ship with 277 people aboard—including 147 cadets—was departing from South Street Seaport en route to Iceland as part of a global goodwill tour. Shortly after departure, the vessel experienced a mechanical failure, losing power and drifting backward toward the Brooklyn Bridge. The ship’s three masts, each approximately 160 feet tall, struck the underside of the bridge, causing them to snap and resulting in significant damage to the vessel.
Casualties and Injuries
The collision led to the deaths of two cadets: 20-year-old América Yamilet Sánchez from Veracruz and 23-year-old Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos from Oaxaca. Sánchez was in her final year at the Mexican Naval Academy, aspiring to become a naval engineer, while Maldonado Marcos had long dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps as a sailor . In addition to the fatalities, 22 crew members sustained injuries, with three reported in critical condition
Investigation and Aftermath
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the incident, deploying a team of experts to determine the cause of the mechanical failure and assess any potential lapses in maritime protocols . Preliminary reports suggest that the ship’s loss of power led to its unintended course toward the bridge. Despite the severity of the collision, the Brooklyn Bridge sustained no structural damage and was reopened to traffic shortly after the incident .
The Cuauhtémoc, commissioned in 1982 and known as the “Ambassador and Knight of the Seas,” was on a 254-day voyage visiting 22 ports in 15 countries to mark 200 years of Mexican independence. Following the accident, the ship has been moored at Pier 36 in Manhattan for further evaluation, and the remainder of its tour has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation .
This tragic event has prompted an outpouring of grief in Mexico, with President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing condolences to the families of the deceased and emphasizing the importance of a thorough investigation to prevent future incidents .