The Mexican Navy's tall ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, May 17, previously visited Baltimore and was set to return to the Inner Harbor in 2026. The incident follows federal warnings that bridges are at risk, following the Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in 2024.
Memorable Maryland visits
The Cuauhtémoc sailed near Baltimore's World Trade Center in April 2016, drawing crowds who watched the sailors in formation on the masts at the Inner Harbor. Those who fondly remember that visit were shocked at the tragedy that unfolded at the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night. Nan Nawrocki, the executive director of the nonprofit Sail Baltimore, called the crash, which killed two, "heartbreaking." "It was heartbreaking to know that the ship was there on a goodwill mission with great positive energy," Nawrocki told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. "To have something that tragic happen as she was leaving, it's just a horrible thing to even think about." The tall ship also visited Baltimore in 2012 as part of the Star Spangled Sailabration. "It's a part of how proud they are of their country and the ship and of what it all represents," Nawrocki said.
Brooklyn, NY crash
On Saturday, May 17, the tops of the tall ship's sails collapsed like matchsticks at almost 150 feet in the air, leaving some of the 277 crew
members onboard dangling . Two were killed and at least 19 were injured. "It felt like maybe there was something wrong from the moment they got out there into the river, and they were fighting that and just kind of drifted very slowly back towards the bridge," said Kris Zinszer, who witnessed the crash. The NTSB is just beginning the long investigation to determine what went wrong. "We do know they were planning to go out to sea," said NTSB board member Michael Graham. "Their intended point of destination was Iceland, and something didn't go right in the process of going backwards, and they continued backwards."
Baltimore's Key Bridge ties
A tug assisting the vessel was run by the same company the tugs that assisted the Dali before it struck the Key Bridge in March 2024. After the Key Bridge collapse, the NTSB warned that 68 older bridges across the country should be evaluated to determine their
vulnerability if struck by a vessel . The Brooklyn Bridge was among those bridges,
along with Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge . "We are saying there is a safety deficiency here, a potential safety risk, and you need to take immediate action," NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said in March.
Back to Baltimore?
The Cuauhtémoc was set to sail back to Baltimore in 2026 as part of America's 250th birthday celebration. It is unclear whether that will happen. "Normally, she would be a part of any of the big celebrations like Sail 250–and usually is a wonderful experience for visitors," Nawrocki said. "We've expressed our condolences to our friends at the Mexican embassy. They have our heartfelt sympathies." WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren came to WJZ in the spring of 2004. Solid reporting credentials and a reputation for breaking important news stories have characterized Mike's work. Mike holds a B.S. degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and grew up partly in both Chicago and Louisiana.
