Mexican Navy Ship Reverses Before NYC Brooklyn Bridge Collision
Preliminary Findings Reveal Mexican Navy Ship Was Moving Backwards Before Brooklyn Bridge Collision
The Mexican navy training vessel involved in smashing into the Brooklyn Bridge in May was unexpectedly sailing in reverse and accelerating prior to the collision, according to officials.
The initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) raises further questions about the incident that resulted in two deaths and injured 19 others, including crew members and naval cadets. Notably, the report questions why the pilot’s commands to halt the vessel had no apparent effect.
While a tugboat was assisting the vessel, the crew seemingly lost control, and the ship began to back away from Pier 17, with the crew attempting to reorient it. Despite instructions from the docking pilot to stop and move forward, the ship unexpectedly reversed direction, rapidly increasing speed from approximately 3.3 knots to nearly 6 knots, crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge.
The vessel, which was on a routine port call en route to refuel before heading to Iceland, had hundreds of cadets on board during its stops. During the collision, two crew members on the masts fell onto the deck and were later pronounced dead.
Before the crash, the ship struck a seawall on the Brooklyn side of the East River and deployed its anchors. The Brooklyn Bridge sustained no serious structural damage, though some paint was scratched.
Both the vessel’s crew and the tugboat operators tested negative for alcohol and drugs. The report highlights confusion over why the vessel reversed rather than responded to commands, leaving the cause of the acceleration and the loss of control unresolved.
The commander of the Mexican Navy initially suggested that the port pilot was responsible for the maneuvering decisions leading up to the collision but later withdrew that suggestion, stating it’s too early to determine fault.
The investigation remains ongoing, with final conclusions expected in about a year. Both Mexican and U.S. authorities are examining possible mechanical failures, human error, or issues with the tugboat assistance as potential causes.