Mexican Navy Ship Hits New York Bridge, People Seen Hanging On To Masts

Recently, several viral videos have surfaced depicting a Mexican navy sailing ship colliding with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, resulting in 22 injuries on Saturday.

The videos captured the moment when the top of the ship’s three masts struck the iconic bridge, causing partial collapse as the vessel floated in the East River.

One video showed the masts snapping and partially collapsing as they hit the bridge deck.

Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get hit by a boat with a large Mexican flag pic.twitter.com/R8eJKwJaJ2

— Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025

In a dramatic modern metaphor, a ship playing Mexican music and flying a large Mexican flag collided with the Brooklyn Bridge.

Unbelievable pic.twitter.com/AUJy0q3oFB

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 18, 2025

Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get hit by a boat with a large Mexican flag pic.twitter.com/R8eJKwJaJ2

— Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025

Social media visuals also showed individuals clinging to the masts.

“We saw someone hanging on, and at first, we couldn’t tell if it was a blur or our eyes. But when we zoomed in on our phone, we saw someone hanging from the top for at least 15 minutes before they were rescued,” a witness recounted to The Associated Press.

The Mexican navy stated that the Cuauhtemoc, a 297-foot long and 40-foot wide training vessel, sustained damage in the collision with the Brooklyn Bridge, halting its journey.

In a statement on X, it disclosed that 22 crew members were injured, with three in critical condition.

“The Navy Secretary reaffirms its commitment to personnel safety, operational transparency, and the excellent training of future Mexican Navy officers,” it stated in Spanish.

The ship typically embarks on its annual voyage at the conclusion of classes at the naval military school to complete cadets’ training. This year, it departed from the Mexican port of Acapulco on April 6 with 277 individuals on board, intending to visit 22 ports across 15 countries, including Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; Cozumel, Mexico; and New York.

It had also planned stops in Reykjavik, Iceland; Bordeaux, Saint Malo, and Dunkirk, France; and Aberdeen, Scotland, among others, for a total of 254 days, 170 of which were to be spent at sea.

(With agency inputs)