The tragic collision of a Mexican navy tall ship, Cuauhtémoc, with the Brooklyn Bridge resulted in the deaths of two cadets during a public display, marking a notable event in maritime history. This incident underscores a long-standing hazard for seafarers, as the bridge has seen vessels collide with it for nearly 150 years. Historians note that this marks the first fatal accident involving a ship striking the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, has a height of approximately 135 feet above the water, presenting challenges for tall sailing ships.
"That's the first and possibly only time where there's been a fatality onboard of a ship that struck the Brooklyn Bridge," said Dominique Jean-Louis, chief historian at the Center for Brooklyn History, part of the Brooklyn Public Library.
Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River, connecting its eponymous borough's downtown to Manhattan. The highest point of the bridge's underside is listed at 135 feet (41.1 meters) on average above the water, but it fluctuates with the tides.
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