The Mexican navy tall ship that struck the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday has set sail annually for the last four decades as the culmination of its cadets’ training in a transcontinental journey.
The Cuauhtémoc first set sail in July 1982 across the Atlantic from Spain to Mexico.
It was part of a quartet of sister ships designed in Spain to be used by different Ibero-American navies, according to the Maritimes Museum.
The Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc sits damaged in the water after crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, 2025. James Keivom
Cadets on the deck of the ARM Cuauhtémoc during its voyage from Staten Island to Pier 17 in New York City on May 13, 2025. James KeivomThe other three were sent to Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.
The majestic vessel remains docked in Acapulco year-round until the cadets conclude their studies at the Heroica Escuela Naval Militar, the Mexican navy’s training academy.
It then sets sail for a tour typically lasting over half a year — this year’s was set for 254 days, including 170 sailing and 84 docked at ports ranging from San Francisco to Australia.
The Cuauhtémoc soared into Lower Manhattan on Tuesday as just the third stop in the vessel’s eight-month voyage around the globe.
“Every port we call at and every activity we undertake will be an opportunity to showcase the greatness of our country, its values, and its culture. Be aware that we will be ambassadors for Mexico with every wave we ride,” Captain Víctor Hugo Molina Pérez told SeaWaves Magazine.
Here is the latest on the Brooklyn Bridge crash involving a Mexican navy tall ship
- Harrowing footage shows Mexican sailors clinging to rigging for dear life after Brooklyn Bridge crash
- Mexican navy cadet América Yamilet Sánchez, 20, ID’d as first victim in Brooklyn Bridge crash
- Mexican ship crashed into Brooklyn Bridge because it lost steering during mechanical failure: sources
- Doomed Mexican ship’s crew were on masts for touching ‘manning the yards’ salute when boat hit Brooklyn Bridge
- Mexican sailor recalls horror aboard doomed Navy ship that crashed into Brooklyn Bridge: ‘No one reacted’
An injured crew member is placed in the back of an ambulance after being rescued from the damaged vessel on May 17, 2025. James Keivom
Crew members hang onto the damaged masts of the training ship after the vessel struck the Brooklyn Bridge. PORTER BINKS/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockSince first embarking 43 years ago, the Cuauhtémoc has collected various awards and exceeded nautical records.
In 2006, it undertook a circumnavigation that spanned a staggering 32,502 nautical miles — the longest training voyage ever recorded, according to the Maritime Museum.
The ship’s current training cruise, dubbed the “Consolidation of the Independence of Mexico 2025,” marked the celebration of the Mexican navy’s expulsion of the final Spanish stronghold from Mexican territory 200 years ago, according to Mexican Aerospace and Defense.
Emergency boats rush to the sides of the training ship to rescue crew members aboard the vessel underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. REUTERS
The training ship is docked at Pier 17 days before the deadly crash. James KeivomThe ship is named after Cuauhtémoc, the final emperor of the Aztec Empire during the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
He was executed by a Spanish conquistador in 1525 after being captured and tortured for information about supposed treasure, and his death fell in line with the rapid decline of his empire.
