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The Mexican Navy training vessel Cuauhtémoc struck the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday night, May 17, causing a search and rescue operation to unfold as about 200 people were on board.

Reports indicate that one of the ship’s 147-foot masts grazed the underside of the iconic bridge shortly before 9 p.m., according to sources cited by the New York Post. The collision resulted in injuries to multiple people, with at least two in critical condition. Victims are being transported to the nearby Brooklyn Navy Yard, while those seriously wounded are being rushed to hospitals for urgent care.

Shocking videos shared on social media captured the moment the mast slammed against the bridge’s deck as onlookers watched in horror. One eyewitness on X (formerly Twitter) described the scene: “Just watched the Brooklyn Bridge get smoked live by a boat with a massive Mexican flag.” The vessel was flying a giant green, white, and red Mexican flag at the time of the incident.

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The Cuauhtémoc, built in Spain in 1982, is a renowned tall ship used as an academy training vessel by the Mexican Navy. According to an official statement posted by the Mexican Navy on social media, the collision prevented the ship from continuing its voyage. “The status of personnel and material was under review by naval and local authorities, which were providing help,” the Navy said. It added, “The Secretary of the Navy renews its commitment to the safety of personnel, transparency in its operations and excellent training for future officers of the Mexican Armada.”

The ship had departed from Acapulco on April 6 with 277 people aboard for a promotional tour. It was scheduled to visit 22 ports across 15 countries over a 254-day journey, including stops in Kingston, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; Cozumel, Mexico; New York City; Reykjavik, Iceland; several French ports such as Bordeaux and Dunkirk; and Aberdeen, Scotland.