Officials are sharing more details about the moments leading up to a Mexican Navy tall ship hitting the Brooklyn Bridge in May, an incident that left two crew members dead and 19 others hurt.
Authorities said the ship was sailing backwards, then picked up speed moments before it hit the historic bridge, the New York Post reported Monday.
There were over 200 people onboard when the crash happened and numerous people were watching from land around 9:00 p.m. on May 17, per Breitbart News.
Video footage recorded from land shows the moment the ship smashed into the bridge as bystanders ran for safety:
The Post article cited a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The agency identified a tugboat called the Charles D. McAllister that attempted to assist the ship that crashed, which was named the Cuauhtémoc.
The NTSB report stated:
Between 2020 and 2022, the Cuauhtémoc moved astern and away from Pier 17 at 2.5 knots. Once clear of the slip, the docking pilot gave a stop command, gave a dead-slow-ahead order, and directed the Charles D. McAllister tug to reposition on the starboard bow of the Cuauhtémoc.[1] As the crew of the tug took their line in, the docking pilot ordered additional commands in the ahead direction.
The Charles D. McAllister began pushing on the starboard bow of the Cuauhtémoc. The stern of the Cuauhtémoc began to swing toward the Brooklyn Bridge. At the order of the docking pilot, the Charles D. McAllister stopped pushing against the ship, backed away, and maneuvered toward the stern of the Cuauhtémoc along its starboard side. Between 2023 and 2024, the vessel’s astern speed increased from 3.3 knots to 5.1 knots, and the harbor pilot called for nearby tugboat assistance.
Starting at 2024:42, the upper sections of all three masts of the Cuauhtémoc contacted the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge, one by one.
Additional footage taken from a distance shows a wider view of the ship hitting the bridge:
The ship was recently moved for repairs to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, CBS News reported.
“Four towing vessels helped guide the ship across the river. Officials said it will undergo repairs at the navy yard before sailing back to Mexico,” the article read.
