A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sheds light on the tragic incident involving the Mexican Navy vessel, ARM Cuauhtémoc BE 01, which crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, resulting in the deaths of two sailors and injuries to 19 others.
The tall ship was on the brink of commencing a 254-day training voyage with planned stops in 15 nations when the accident occurred.
According to the report, at approximately 8:20 p.m., the vessel, operating under the guidance of a docking pilot and assisted by a tugboat, began backing out from Pier 17 at South Street Seaport.
The ship was moving at a speed of 2.5 knots as it cleared the slip, with westerly winds blowing at 10 to 15 knots and the tide coming in at 0.13 knots.
The captain of the ship assured the pilots that both the propulsion and steering systems were functioning properly.
While the pilots are responsible for directing the navigation of a ship in port, the ultimate command lies with the ship’s captain, as highlighted in the report.
Commands from the docking pilot were passed along from the captain to a crew member, who then relayed them to those on the navigation bridge of the vessel.
After the vessel cleared the slip, the docking pilot issued a stop command, followed by a dead-slow-ahead order meant to move the vessel forward at its slowest possible speed.
At that point, the tugboat, situated between the vessel and the bridge, was pushing against the starboard bow in an effort to steer the ship away from the bridge.
However, in a startling turn of events, the vessel’s stern began to swing toward the bridge.
As per the pilot’s directive, the tugboat ceased pushing against the ship and maneuvered along the starboard side toward the stern.
Instead of moving forward, the vessel moved in reverse, with its speed increasing from 3.3 knots at 8:23 p.m. to 5.1 knots by 8:24 p.m.
It ultimately struck the bridge while traveling backward at a speed of 5.9 knots.
After the collision, the vessel came to a stop against the seawall on the Brooklyn side of the bridge at 8:27 p.m.
The report also indicated that all three masts of the ship hit the underside of the bridge.
Despite the sails being furled and the vessel operating under engine power at the time of the crash, the preliminary findings have not yet identified a probable cause of the incident.
According to Jennifer Gabris, an NTSB spokeswoman, a comprehensive assessment of the probable cause, along with any contributing factors, is expected to emerge within the next 12 to 24 months.
Salvatore Mercogliano, a maritime historian and former merchant mariner, commented on the report, noting the absence of clear indications regarding the reasons for the vessel’s rapid acceleration toward the bridge.
He expressed skepticism about attributing such an increase in speed solely to environmental conditions such as wind and current, stating, “It’s hard to believe that that amount of speed increase could be caused by [wind] and almost no current.
That was being caused by the engine.”
The report leaves open the question of whether the vessel’s engine had ever operated in a forward capacity before it unexpectedly went into reverse.
Mercogliano remarked that the process of transmitting commands, involving translation into Spanish and communication from the pilot to the ship’s crew, was standard practice, especially within naval operations.
He pointed out the delicate nature of the situation, concerning both Mexican sovereignty and the fatalities of two young naval cadets.
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for McAllister Towing, which owns the tugboat involved, expressed condolences to those affected by the incident although he refrained from providing additional comments, citing the ongoing NTSB and Coast Guard investigations.
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