A Mexican Navy training ship on a goodwill tour struck the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Saturday night, leaving two crew members dead and 22 others injured.
Mexican officials on Sunday identified the two victims of the crash as América Yamileth Sánchez Hernández, 20, from the state of Veracruz, and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, 23, from the state of Oaxaca.
Investigators are looking into how the Cuauhtémoc, with three long masts and billowing white sails, moved in the wrong direction before hitting the Brooklyn Bridge. Mexico’s Naval Ministry (Semar) said in a statement that 11 of those injured were in critical condition, while nine others were hospitalized in stable condition.
On Monday, Semar reported that 174 of the 277 people on board the Cuauhtémoc had arrived in Mexico City overnight Sunday.
The commander of the Mexican Navy, Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, said in a statement that the uninjured cadets would continue their training and that the investigation into the crash would be carried out “with total transparency and responsibility.”
The body of América Sánchez was transferred to the Naval Academy in her home state of Veracruz on Monday.
Her mother, Rocío Hernández, described the 20-year-old cadet as “an exemplary daughter” who was “a dedicated student” aiming to become a naval engineer.
Rodolfo Hernández, Sánchez’s uncle, told reporters on Sunday that his niece had sent photos showing her in Central Park the day before the accident. “When news of her death came, we broke down; we didn’t have the strength to bear it,” he said.
Friends of Adal Maldonado said he had always dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a sailor. Being on board the Cuauhtémoc, also known as “The Knight of the Seas,” had been his greatest wish, they recalled.
Why was the Mexican ship in New York City?
The Cuauhtémoc had set sail on April 6 from Acapulco on a 254-day mission to “exalt the seafaring spirit, strengthen naval education and carry the Mexican people’s message of peace and goodwill to the seas and ports of the world,” according to Semar.
The ship had been docked at New York’s South Street Seaport Museum for five days of public viewing when it left New York’s Pier 17 on Saturday, intending to leave the harbor.
At approximately 8:20 p.m. EST, the ship’s three masts, measuring more than 48 meters, hit the base of the bridge, which has a clearance of 41.1 meters. All three masts collapsed and video footage posted on social media shows some of the crew members dangling from the yards and sails.
The New York Times reported that officials said it appeared the Cuauhtémoc had lost power as it backed away from the pier and was dragged toward the Brooklyn Bridge by the current.
However, several observers present at the scene published photos that appeared to indicate a wake around the tall ship. This prompted speculation that the engine may have been stuck in reverse.
The roles that New York City port procedures and a tugboat operated by McAllister Towing played in the accident are also being examined, but the circumstances are far from clear.
A statement issued by McAllister Towing on Sunday confirmed that one of its vessels “assisted the Cuauhtémoc as it departed Pier 17.”
U.S. Senator for New York Chuck Schumer defended the tug company, telling the New York Times that the tugboat responded after the accident occurred in an effort to assist the Cuauhtémoc. However, according to merchant marine ship captain John Konrad, when docking and undocking in the state of New York, a docking pilot who works for the tugboat company is required to be on board.
On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum offered condolences to the two sailors killed and criticized those turning the incident into a political issue. “It is shameful that our adversaries are trying to score political points off of an accident in which two people died,” the president said on Sunday.
With reports from The New York Times, BBC, La Jornada and Reforma
