A witness shared a chilling account of hearing screams as a large Mexican Navy tall ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday night while in New York City.
“We were saying our goodbyes and singing,” recounted Ismari Romero, 43. “Everyone felt joy as they departed. But when they reached the Brooklyn Bridge, I think they hit it, and the top came apart. It was terrifying. Many people were screaming and crying.”
The ship, known as Kuoutemok, was carrying a crew of 277—mainly cadets—when it drifted and struck the bridge around 8:30 PM.
Two sailors were at the helm, with one of its 147-foot masts exceeding the bridge’s maximum clearance of 135 feet.
Matt Tibitz was crossing the river on a ferry when he suddenly worried that the tall ship wouldn’t clear the bridge. “The people around us were saying, ‘Oh, I think it’s too tall,'” he recalled.
“It was unsettling for everyone involved. Thankfully, we were on the ferry quite a distance away, so our safety wasn’t at risk, but we were anxious about those we could see,” he continued. “It could have turned out worse. Just seeing it happen nearby was frightening.”
Reports indicated that 19 people, including crew members, sustained serious injuries.
