New York City and federal officials have begun their investigation into the deadly crash of a Mexican tall ship into the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night.
Two people were killed in the incident, and at least 19 others were hurt, including two critically, officials said.
The collision took place as the Mexican navy training ship Cuauhtémoc was departing the South Street Seaport for Iceland with 277 aboard.
Sailors were standing on the ship’s yards as part of a ceremonial departure when it apparently lost power and began drifting backward, ultimately crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge. The tops of the ship’s three masts snapped off, and sailors were left dangling by wires from the top. The main mast of the ship was some 160 feet high.
Officials said the bridge wasn’t structurally damaged.
Federal and local teams investigating the crash
On Sunday morning, the National Transportation Safety Board said it was dispatching a go-team to investigate the crash.
New York City Emergency Management held an interagency meeting regarding the crash Sunday morning that included the mayor’s office, FDNY, NYPD, the U.S. Coast Guard, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the MTA.
Officials are also restricting access to Pier 36, where the Cuauhtémoc was moved to after the crash. The Coast Guard is providing guidance to the ship’s crew on repairs and how to move it safely.
In a statement on social media, the Coast Guard called it a “devastating tragedy.”
“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.
Sen. Schumer questions whether federal cuts played a role
In his weekly Sunday morning press conference, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer questioned whether cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, may have played a role in the incident.
“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.
The senator said a tugboat was not being used to assist the vessel as it departed, and that one arrived after.
“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 said the Coast Guard has a system called vehicle traffic service, or VTS, that’s similar to how the FAA handles air traffic control.
“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.
Schumer pointed to Admiral Linda Fagan’s being relieved of her duties as commandant of the Coast Guard on Jan. 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.
Schumer said that while the bridge itself wasn’t structurally damaged, a monitoring system beneath it that operates as part of the bridge’s inspection system was damaged.
Jesse Zanger is the managing editor of CBSNewYork.com. Jesse has previously worked for the Fox News Channel and Spectrum News NY1. He covers regional news around the Tri-State Area, with a particular focus on breaking news and extreme weather.
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