WATCH: 277-foot long Mexican naval vessel with 270 people on board hits NY Brooklyn Bridge

A Mexican navy training ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday during a promotional tour in New York City, prompting an emergency response from authorities. At least 22 people were injured.

The top of the vessel’s three masts struck the bridge and partially collapsed after the impact, while the ship was sailing on the East River.

The Mexican navy said the training ship Cuauhtémoc, which is approximately 297 feet long and 40 feet wide, was damaged in the accident and could not continue its journey.

Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag pic.twitter.com/R8eJKwJaJ2

— Nelson Slinkard (@TheWillieNelson) May 18, 2025

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In a post on X, the navy confirmed that 22 crew members were injured, including three seriously.

“The Navy remains committed to crew safety, transparency, and high-quality training for future officers,” the statement added, in Spanish.

The New York Fire Department confirmed that emergency teams responded to reports of injuries but did not specify how many people were hurt or whether they were on the ship or the bridge.

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Videos of the incident surfaced on social media. One video captured the moment the tall masts struck the bridge and snapped, as heavy traffic passed across the span. The vessel, flying a large green, white, and red Mexican flag, then drifted towards the riverbank as bystanders moved away.

Eyewitnesses Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told the Associated Press they were watching the sunset when they saw the ship collide with the bridge and one of its masts break. Katz said they noticed someone hanging from a harness near the top of the ship for about 15 minutes before being rescued.

They also saw two people carried off the ship on stretchers and transferred onto smaller boats.

The Mexican navy said on social media that the Cuauhtémoc, a naval training vessel, was being assessed by local and naval authorities to determine the condition of the crew and the ship.

Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that its ambassador and consulate officials in New York were coordinating with local authorities to assist the affected cadets. It did not confirm whether anyone was injured.

With inputs from AP.