NEED TO KNOW
- The Cuauhtémoc, a training ship used for the Mexican Navy that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, was embarking on an annual transcontinental journey
- The ship’s voyage marks the completion of cadet training
- The training ship was set to visit 22 ports in 15 nations
The ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge was embarking on a transcontinental journey that marks the completion of cadet training.
The Cuauhtémoc, a training ship used for the Mexican Navy, crashed into the New York City landmark on Saturday, May 17, the government agency confirmed in a statement on X.
The large ship was carrying over 250 people. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that two people died in the crash, while at least 19 others were injured, with two said to be in serious condition.
According to The New York Post, the Cuauhtémoc has sailed annually for the last four decades in coordination with cadet training. The ship first launched in 1982, when it sailed from Spain to Mexico.
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Per the outlet, the vessel is docked in Acapulco, Mexico, until the cadets finish their training at the Mexican naval academy, Heroica Escuela Naval Militar. The ship arrived in N.Y.C. on Tuesday, May 13, as the third stop in its planned eight-month voyage.
Fox’s LiveNOW reported that the Cuauhtémoc was set to visit 22 ports in 15 nations over the span of 254 days.
Officials previously revealed that the crash was due to a mechanical mishap. “The pilot lost power of the ship,” N.Y.C.’s mayor said during a press conference. The ship had taken off from the nearby Pier 17 shortly before the incident.
Chief Wilson Aramboles of the New York Police Department’s Special Operations Division stated that the ship was en route to Iceland.
New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez also said during the press conference that a preliminary assessment found no signs of major damage to the bridge.
Adams added that 277 people total were onboard at the time of the crash. No one fell into the water, per officials.
President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum mourned the deaths of the two crew members who were onboard the ship.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor,” she wrote on X. “Our sympathy and support go out to their families.”
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