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NTSB Begins Investigation Aboard Mexican Navy ShipBrooklyn Bridge Collision

The Cuauhtémoc's reverse acceleration and tugboat protocols are under scrutiny as investigators examine its mechanics and interview the crew following the crash that killed two cadets.

The Cuauhtemoc, a masted Mexican Navy training ship, is docked in Manhattan after it collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A disabled Mexican Navy tall ship floats between the Brooklyn and the Manhattan bridges on the East River on May 17, 2025 in New York City. The ship reportedly struck the Brooklyn Bridge as it was traveling north.
The Mexican Navy training vessel Cuauhtemoc is seen with broken masts while docked at a pier, after striking the Brooklyn Bridge overnight in New York City, U.S., May 18, 2025.  REUTERS/Bjorn Kils/New York Media Boat
FILE - Sheet metal hangs from the Brooklyn Bridge after a crane being carried on a vessel struck the scaffolding attached to the underside, Monday, March 13, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Overview

  • The Mexican Navy training ship Cuauhtémoc collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, killing two cadets and injuring 19 others, with 277 people aboard.
  • NTSB investigators boarded the vessel on May 20 after securing permission from the Mexican government to examine its mechanics and interview crew members.
  • The investigation is focusing on the ship's sudden acceleration in reverse, potential engine failure, and the role of the tugboat guiding the vessel during its departure.
  • The two cadets killed, América Yamilet Sánchez and Adal Jair Marcos, were harnessed to the masts as part of a traditional ceremonial display at the time of the crash.
  • The Brooklyn Bridge sustained no significant structural damage, and a preliminary report on the incident is expected within 30 days.