A tragic accident occurred Saturday (May 17) when a Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two people and injuring 19 of the 277 aboard.

The ship had left Manhattan and was not meant to pass under the bridge. “Earlier tonight, the Mexican Navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Due to a mechanical failure, the ship lost control and tried reversing—but its masts were too tall. “The masts were too tall to clear the Brooklyn Bridge,” said police chief Wilson Aramboles. As the masts toppled, two people fell and died.

Witness Flavia Moreira said, “It just kept coming closer… We could see some people being kind of dragged… swinging around.”