Two dead as Mexican Navy ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge

Published

1 year ago

2025/05/18

Priyan

Damaged masts on the Mexican Navy training ship Cuauhtémoc after it crashed into New York City's Brooklyn Bridge [BBC]

Two people have been killed and 19 others injured after a tall Mexican Navy training sailing ship crashed into New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge.

Police said the Cuauhtémoc, with 277 people on board, lost power on Saturday as the captain was manoeuvring the vessel, forcing it to head for the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side.

Footage shows the ship’s towering masts clip the bridge as it passed under the structure. Crew members were standing on the masts as they snapped and fell to the deck, authorities said.

Brooklyn resident Nick Corso, who witnessed the accident, said the area erupted in panic. There was “lots of screaming, some sailors hanging from the masts,” he told AFP.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed on X that two people died and two of the 19 injured were in critical condition.

Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer any major damage and was reopened after a preliminary inspection.

Police said they believed “mechanical issues” and a power cut had caused the collision.

The New York Coast Guard said the Cuauhtémoc lost all three masts. All personnel on the ship had been accounted for and no-one had fallen in the water.

Crowds fled from the water’s edge as the ship hit the bridge.

Another witness, Kelvin Flores, told the BBC he was at work when he saw the crash.

He came out into the street to find a lot of “commotion and a lot of chaos” with fire engines and police trying to reach the scene but the roads clogged with traffic.

“Just seeing the actual damage was insane,” he said. “People carrying stretchers… they were trying to get the injured out.”

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members in the accident.

The Cuauhtémoc was towed from the scene after the crash.

The vessel, which measures 297 feet long (91m) and 40 feet (12m) wide, according to the Mexican navy, sailed for the first time in 1982.

Each year it sets sail at the end of classes at the naval military school to finish cadets’ training.

This year it left the Mexican port of Acapulco on 6 April, the navy said. Its final destination was intended to be Iceland.

Police said the Cuauhtémoc’s mast height was 48.2m (158ft). The New York transport department’s website says the bridge has a 135ft clearance at its centre.

[BBC]

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Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.

It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.

Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.

His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.

Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.

(PMD)

Latest News

Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit

Published

10 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).

The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.

During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.

Latest News

Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

Published

16 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

The National Building Research Institute [NBRI] has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura valid upto 0900 AM on 23rd May 2026.

Accordingly,
LEVEL I [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella and Dehiowita in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Pelmadulla, Kiriella, Elapatha, Kalawana and Nivithigala in the Rathnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Agalawatta and Mathugama in the Kalutara district, Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district and Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district.