A Mexican Navy sailboat with 277 people on board crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday evening, killing two people and injuring more than a dozen others who were on board in a dramatic scene along the New York City waterfront, according to authorities.
The crash occurred at 8:30 p.m., resulting in at least 19 people injured, according to the New York Police Department. Four people were left with serious injuries, according to city officials, who gave a press briefing late Saturday evening.
Mayor Eric Adams said early Sunday that two people were dead following the crash. Two others remained in critical condition, he said in a statement posted to social media.
The Cuauhtemoc, a Mexican Navy sailing training vessel collides with the Brooklyn Bridge, in New York City, May 17, 2025.
Nelson Slinkard/X
The captain, who was maneuvering the ship, lost power and mechanical function, and the current “caused the ship to go right into the pillar of the bridge, hitting the mass of the ship where there was a couple of sailors,” NYPD Chief Wilson Aramboles said during a press briefing.
The sailors were injured as a result of the mass striking the bridge, according to Aramboles.
Numerous cellphone videos from nearby onlookers captured the moment the ship’s masts, decorated with lights, collided with the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge. Members of the ship’s crew were seen dangling from the masts after the collision.
A sailor dangles from a mast after the Cuauhtemoc, a Mexican Navy sailing training vessel collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, in New York City, May 17, 2025.
Liliana Montes
No one fell into the water, according to officials. Officials said they did not believe the bridge sustained any structural damage. The bridge has since been reopened to traffic, Adams said just after midnight, adding that “we can confirm that the bridge sustained no damage” after a preliminary inspection.
“We are praying for everyone on board and their families and are grateful to our first responders who quickly jumped into action, ensuring this accident wasn’t much worse,” he said.
A Mexican Navy sailing training vessel collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Courtesy Flavio Moriera
The ship was disembarking from Pier 17 and heading to Iceland, officials said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is on site and will begin its investigation, but preliminary information shows it was likely a mechanical issue with the sailboat, according to officials.
The Cuauhtemoc, a Mexican Navy sailing training vessel collides with the Brooklyn Bridge, in New York City, May 17, 2025.
@Corso52/X
The Brooklyn Bridge had temporarily closed after the crash but has since reopened, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.
“While inspections will remain ongoing, there are no signs of structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge,” NYDOT said in a statement.
ABC News’ Josh Margolin, Clara McMichael and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.
