NTSB Makes Initial Visit to Damaged Mexican Sail Training Ship
On Tuesday, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board met for the first time with their Mexican counterparts aboard the Mexican Navy sail training ship Cuauhtémoc, which struck the Brooklyn Bridge at six knots on Saturday night. Two cadets were killed and dozens injured in the stern-first allision, which knocked down the tops of all three of the barque's masts.
Cuauhtémoc remains moored at Pier 37 on the East River as investigations continue. Salvors and surveyors have finished an initial inspection of the ship's structural condition, and have determined that it did not sustain any hull damage in the incident. This means that when weather conditions are appropriate, the tall ship can be relocated to a shipyard for repairs, NYC Office of Emergency Management spokesperson Aries Dela Cruz told local media. The move is expected by Sunday.
NTSB is in the initial phases of collecting evidence, including surveillance footage, bystander videos, technical data, crewmember testimony and more. The agency says that it will not be commenting on probable cause while it investigators are working on scene, and that a preliminary factual report will follow when ready.
Mayor Eric Adams commended the New York Police Department and Fire Department for their speedy reaction after the accident, which likely saved lives. Marine units from both agencies were at the scene within minutes of the allision, providing aid and helping evacuate the injured.
“There were 277 people on that vessel. That could have been a real tragedy if it wasn’t for the fast response on the New York side,” Mayor Adams said.
The accident occurred Saturday night as Cuauhtémoc was departing the pier, planning to transit south into New York Harbor and out to sea for a voyage to Iceland. It ran into trouble almost immediately. The vessel began backing away from the dock at 2020 hours, assisted by one tug (which was not connected by a hawser). The ship began to accelerate astern after it departed the pier, reaching a speed of six knots by about 2024 hours. At 2024:45, its masts hit the underside of the bridge.
The reason for its sudden astern acceleration is under investigation, and NTSB will be looking at data from its propulsion system for any sign of a possible mechanical issue. Members of the public who have video evidence from the scene of the casualty may contact NTSB at [email protected].
The Mexican Navy has confirmed that a "specialized harbor pilot" was on board the ship at the time of the casualty. New York State law requires foreign vessels to use a licensed Sandy Hook pilot to enter and exit the harbor; it is not known if Cuauhtemoc also had a docking pilot (a tug master with expert local towage and shiphandling knowledge) on board for the departure.