Mexican navy cadet is first victim to be identified in Brooklyn Bridge ship collision

One of two people who died on the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc, which crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Saturday night, has been identified as a female Mexican Navy cadet from Veracruz, according to the state’s governor.

Veracruz Gov. Rocío Nahle García identified the cadet as América Yamilet Sánchez of Xalapa in an X post Sunday.

"I deeply regret the passing of Veracruz cadet América Yamilet Sánchez," the governor wrote in a translated post. "My love, support, and solidarity go out to her family. My gratitude to the @SEMAR_mx and my wishes for a speedy recovery for those injured. Veracruz is with you."

Sánchez died when the ship, described as an academy training vessel, ran into the Brooklyn Bridge at about 8:20 p.m.

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América Yamilet Sánchez was identified as a victim of the Mexican navy ship crash. (América Sánchez / Facebook)

The scene was captured on video by multiple eyewitnesses, showing the ship – which was flying a large Mexican flag – traveling swiftly in reverse toward the bridge near the Brooklyn side of the East River.

As the bystanders continued to watch, the ship’s three masts struck the bridge’s span and snapped, one-by-one, as the tall ship continued to push into the bridge. 

Videos captured heavy traffic on the span at the time of the collision, though nobody on the bridge was reported injured.

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The Mexican Navy sailing ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge sits moored in lower Manhattan on May 18, 2025 in New York City.  (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Sailors could be seen aloft in the rigging of the damaged masts, though remarkably, officials noted, nobody fell into the water.

The Cuauhtémoc – about 297 feet long and 40 feet wide, according to the Mexican navy – sailed for the first time in 1982. The vessel’s main mast has a height of 160 feet, according to the Mexican government. Each year, the Cuauhtémoc sets out at the end of classes at the naval military school to finish cadets' training. This year, it left the Mexican port of Acapulco on the Pacific coast on April 6, according to the Mexican navy. 

It arrived in New York City on May 13, when visitors were welcome for several days, the Mexican consulate said. The ship was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 nations over 254 days, 170 of them at sea.

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Massive sailing vessel crashes into Brooklyn Bridge (@TheWillieNelson / X)

It is unclear what caused the ship to veer off course, and investigations are being conducted by several agencies, including the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB).

The Brooklyn Bridge, which opened in 1883, has a nearly 1,600-foot main span supported by two masonry towers. More than 100,000 vehicles and an estimated 32,000 pedestrians cross every day, according to the city’s transportation department. Its walkway is a major tourist attraction.

Traffic was halted after the collision but was allowed to resume after an inspection, city officials said.

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A view of the Mexican navy tall ship being tended by the authorities after it crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, New York. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

As midnight approached, the broken ship was moved slowly up the East River, going under and past the Manhattan Bridge, aided by a series of tugboats, before docking at a pier.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.