The Mexican navy school hits the Brooklyn Bridge. Two people died, others are in serious condition

A symbolic mission of the Mexican navy turned into a nightmare on Saturday night in the East River waters, after the Peauhtémoc sailboat violently hit the Brooklyn Bridge. The ship, located in an international honor tour, had almost 300 people on board-of which several cadets executed, at that time, a traditional greeting maneuver, cocked on the 45-meter masts.

Cuauhtémoc ship-a training sail with Mexico/Photo ship status: X

In a scene that sparked panic and stupefaction on the banks of the Manhattan, the witnesses surprised the moments when parts of the masts collapse under the bridge, and the sailors, caught in the climbing equipment, remain suspended at high height. Some were seen clinging to the damaged structure minutes in a row, until the rescue team's intervention.

The accident mobilized a vast intervention device. According to the authorities, at least two people lost their lives, another 19 were injured, four of them in critical condition. Several medical crews transported victims to nearby hospitals, and some were evacuated with smaller boats to Brooklyn Navy Yard.

A naval tradition suddenly interrupted by an accident

According to the preliminary information, the Nava Caauhtémoc-a training sail with the status of the-mexico ship-would have undergone a mechanical fault that made it impossible to control the proximity maneuvers. At that time, the crew carried out the ritual called “Manning the Yards”, an old maritime practice, through which the cades go up on the mast to greet the host port, in respect and honor.

“It is an image that in another context would have been exciting: dozens of young people in uniforms sitting on the masts, under the colors of the national flag. Now it has become a public tragedy.”said an official of the American Coast Guard.

In an official post on the X network (former Twitter), the Mexican Marina confirmed the incident and announced that the ship cannot continue its mission, being severely damaged. A common investigation is carried out between the Mexican and American naval authorities to establish the exact impact circumstances.

“The Secretariat of the Navy reaffirms its commitment to staff safety and total transparency in the ongoing investigation”is shown in the statement.

Eye witnesses: “I saw people hanging in the air”

Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz, two young people on the shore at the time of the impact, told the Associated Press that they looked at the sunset when they heard the loud noise of the collision. One of them noticed a shocking detail:

“I saw a suspended silhouette. Initially I thought it seems, but when I zoomed the phone, it was clear: someone hung in the harness, at a dizzying height, for at least 15 minutes, until the rescuers' intervention.”Katz said.

Several people were evacuated on lands and urgently transported to hospitals in the area. Rescue teams continued to research the waters of East River, in search of any other victims.

Cuauhtémoc, the symbol of Mexican naval diplomacy

Cuauhtémoc sail, named after the last Aztec emperor, is considered an emblem of Mexican maritime diplomacy. Built in 1982, the ship visited dozens of ports in the world, often used for state ceremonies, naval parades or goodwill visits. It also serves as a school ship for the cadets of the Naval Academy in Mexico.

The tradition “Manning the yards” – the ceremonial climb of the crew on the masts – is inherited from the era of the great ships, when the sailors were climbing to greet the ports or allied vessels. Although today it is a symbolic practice, it continues to be present in the military navy of several countries, including in the European ones.

Although the Mexican and American authorities cooperate in the investigation, the symbolic and media impact of the accident is major. The incident took place in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world, and images with suspended sailors have already made the surrounding the international press.

It remains to be seen whether this episode will lead to protocol changes in the international missions of the school ships or to the revision of the regulations regarding the navigation in the intense waters of the big cities.

Meanwhile, the families of the victims and the Cauhtémoc crew are facing the trauma of an accident that shocked public opinion and transformed a gesture of honor into a moment of mourning.