Authorities at both the city and federal level launched an investigation following the fatal collision of a Mexican naval tall ship with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night.
The crash resulted in two fatalities and left at least 19 others injured, with two individuals in critical condition, according to officials.
The incident occurred as the Mexican Navy’s training vessel, the Cuauhtémoc, was setting sail from South Street Seaport en route to Iceland with a total of 277 passengers aboard. During a ceremonial departure, with sailors positioned along the ship’s horizontal spars, the vessel reportedly lost propulsion and drifted uncontrollably in reverse—slamming into the Brooklyn Bridge. The collision caused the ship’s towering masts to snap, leaving several sailors suspended in the air by safety lines. The main mast stood approximately 160 feet tall.
Authorities confirmed that, despite the impact, the structural integrity of the Brooklyn Bridge remained intact.
On Sunday morning, the National Transportation Safety Board announced it was dispatching a specialized investigative team to look into the cause and circumstances of the crash.
A multi-agency coordination meeting was held by New York City Emergency Management Sunday morning, bringing together representatives from the mayor’s office, the FDNY, NYPD, U.S. Coast Guard, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and the MTA to address the incident.
Access to Pier 36, where the ship was relocated after the crash, has been restricted. The Coast Guard is working with the Cuauhtémoc’s crew to assist in repairs and determine a safe path forward for the vessel.
The Coast Guard described the event as a “devastating tragedy” in a public statement on social media.
“We will ensure a robust investigation and support for those impacted while maintaining the safety and security of the Port of New York,” the Coast Guard said.
During his Sunday morning press conference, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer raised questions about whether recent governmental cutbacks may have contributed to the crash.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Mexico and those who lost their lives and who were injured in last night’s Brooklyn Bridge vessel crash,” Schumer said.
He noted that a tugboat was not guiding the ship during its departure and only arrived after the crash had occurred.
“We know that the Trump administration has been meddling in U.S. Coast Guard operations, from staffing to command and comms, and I have the general sense of a DOGE dysfunction in parts of the Coast Guard, to put it mildly,” Schumer said. “After being fully briefed on last night’s Brooklyn Bridge accident, one thing is very clear. There are many more questions than answers as to how the accident occurred and whether it could have been prevented.”
Schumer pointed to the Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system—designed to oversee maritime traffic in a manner akin to air traffic control—as a possible weak link.
“There are indications that this service called the VTS may not have been fully or adequately functional in light of that hiring freeze. We don’t know the answer to that question. We need answers. If this were the case, Brooklyn Bridge accident could be a national harbinger, demanding immediate attention,” Schumer said.
He also cited the leadership vacuum in the Coast Guard since Admiral Linda Fagan was relieved of her duties on January 21.
“In the time since the post of commandant have been vacant without a permanent commandant nominee. Furthermore, the current hiring freeze at the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, which the Coast Guard is part of, may have limited the ability of the Coast Guard to fully staff up at the VTS, the vehicle traffic service, the shore-wide system that provides quote air traffic control for the seas, especially in congested areas and restricted waters like New York Harbor,” Schumer said.
Though the bridge’s structure remained unharmed, Schumer revealed that the incident damaged a key monitoring system situated underneath the bridge, which forms part of its structural inspection mechanism.