Collision of Mexican Navy Ship and Brooklyn Bridge Under Investigation

On Monday, officials conducted inspections on the Brooklyn Bridge following a collision that occurred on Saturday night. A Mexican Navy sailing ship crashed into the iconic bridge, tragically resulting in two fatalities.

The New York City Department of Transportation shared its initial findings via social media shortly before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a press conference to discuss the ongoing investigation.

“This morning, Commissioner Rodriguez inspected the Brooklyn Bridge after the incident,” city hall reported. “The inspection is ongoing, but early signs indicate no significant structural damage.” NTSB officials later confirmed that their bridge team is working alongside the NYC DOT to verify the absence of structural harm.

Michael Graham, a member of the NTSB, stated, “At this point, there’s no evidence of major structural damage to the loading elements of the bridge.” He went on to mention that a part of the structure suffered minimal damage but emphasized the overall safety of the bridge.

NTSB investigator Brian Young provided context, noting that the tall ship, Cuauhtémoc, which arrived in New York on May 13, was planning to navigate south through the East River.

Initial investigation data revealed a westerly wind at around 10 knots and a current running toward the bridge at roughly 0.3 knots. Young described the ship’s speed increasing to about six knots before the collision, which happened when the mast struck the underside of the bridge shortly after a plea for assistance was made over VHF radio.

The NTSB’s investigative team, which arrived on site on Sunday, has begun gathering evidence, and Graham noted that this is just the start of a lengthy process that could take anywhere from 12 to 24 months to complete. A preliminary report is expected in about 30 days, although they will not reach any conclusions just yet.

Throughout the investigation, the NTSB will examine everything from crew operations to weather conditions. Various specialists have been assigned to look into marine engineering, bridge safety, and other relevant factors. There’s uncertainty regarding whether the ship had a black box system for recording data, but the team will thoroughly assess any recording devices onboard to gather evidence.

Meanwhile, authorities are appealing to the public; anyone with video footage of the collision is encouraged to contact the NTSB.

Graham concluded the briefing by stressing that any information shared at this stage is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation progresses.