Chaos on the East River: What Really Happened When a Mexican Navy Ship Crashed Into the Brooklyn Bridge?

So, here’s a wild one for ya: a Mexican Navy training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, somehow managed to turn what should have been a chill Saturday evening into absolute chaos by plowing into the Brooklyn Bridge. Yep, you read that right—the ship’s giant 147-foot mast didn’t just tiptoe near the bridge; it smashed into the road deck, sending bits of itself crashing back down onto the vessel and into the water below. I mean, how often does a naval ship play bumper cars with a landmark like the Brooklyn Bridge? It’s the kind of incident that makes you wonder if the mast was just having a bad day, or if New York’s iconic traffic jam extended to floating giants too. Sadly, the crash left several crew members seriously hurt, with a few in critical condition—proof that sometimes, reality can be way more bizarre (and painful) than fiction. Want to know the full story behind this nautical vs. architecture face-off? LEARN MORE.

On Saturday (May 17), a Mexican Navy training ship, the Cuauhtémoc, collided with the Brooklyn Bridge, causing significant damage and leaving multiple crew members injured. The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. when one of the ship’s towering 147-foot masts struck the bridge’s road deck, toppling into the ship and the water below. According to fire officials and sources, at least three people are in critical condition, with around a dozen others seriously injured.