The tragic accident involving the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtemoc, which crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, claimed the lives of two sailors, América Yamilet Sánchez and Jair Maldonado Marcos. The incident occurred in turbulent East River waters during a global goodwill tour, leading to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The ship, carrying 277 crew members, saw three masts topple but experts highlight that the steel rigging and the crew's harnessing prevented further casualties. The community is mourning the loss of Sánchez, a promising engineering student, as locals pay their respects.
Experts say an even deadlier catastrophe was avoided by the ship's steel rigging, which prevented the masts from falling into the water, as well as the fact that the crew stayed harnessed in position rather than taking the risk that some members could tumble from a 12-story height as they scrambled down the rat lines.
Sánchez was one of the sailors on the mast; her family says they were told. Earlier in the day Saturday, Sánchez had spoken with her mother and excitedly told her that the ship's next stop would be Iceland.
Mayor Eric Adams said the 142-year-old bridge escaped major damage. The Cuauhtemoc visited New York as part of a 15-nation global goodwill tour and was departing when it struck the bridge at around 8:20 p.m. Saturday.
Relatives and friends arrived at the family's home carrying flowers. A small altar was set up on the patio with a photograph of Sánchez and candles.
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