On the evening of May 17, 2025, the Mexican Navy's tall ship Cuauhtémoc collided with New York City's Brooklyn Bridge, leading to the deaths of two crew members and injuries to at least 19 others. The incident occurred shortly after the vessel departed from a Manhattan pier as part of a goodwill tour en route to Iceland. According to NYPD Special Operations Chief Wilson Aramboles, the ship was supposed to head out to sea but instead drifted toward the bridge, suggesting it was moving in the wrong direction.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Cuauhtémoc, carrying 277 people, appeared to be moving backward when it struck the bridge, snapping its three masts. Some sailors were seen clinging to the rigging after the impact. The collision caused chaos onboard, but no injuries were reported among those on the bridge itself.

Initial investigations suggest that a mechanical failure led to a loss of power, causing the vessel to lose control and collide with the bridge. The ship's masts, which stood at 147 feet, were too tall to clear the bridge's 127-foot clearance, leading to the collision.

The Cuauhtémoc, launched in 1982, is a training vessel for Mexican naval cadets and was on a 254-day tour visiting 22 ports in 15 countries. The ship had arrived in New York on May 13 and was scheduled to continue its journey to Iceland.

Following the incident, the vessel was towed to a nearby pier, and a safety perimeter was established by the U.S. Coast Guard. An investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing.