The Mexican Navy’s tall ship Cuauhtémoc — which infamously smashed into the Brooklyn Bridge — sailed out of Manhattan Saturday afternoon with out incident after an emotional farewell ceremony that drew lots of to the Hudson River.
Round 300 individuals lined Pier 86 beside the Intrepid Museum to wave, sing, and dance because the three-masted coaching vessel ready to go house to Cozumel, ending a six-month keep in New York for repairs.
At 2:45 p.m., the ship’s cadets shaped ranks on deck as a army band performed the Mexican and naval anthems. By 3:20 p.m., the gangway was pulled and the crew started its 35-day voyage south.
“We’re very pleased with the Cuauhtémoc, which has been crossing the seas of the world since 1986, when it was constructed,” mentioned Marcos Augustus Bucio Mujica, Mexico’s consul normal in New York.
“We’re very grateful to Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul and to the hospitals and first responders who supported throughout and within the aftermath of the tragic accident. We additionally wish to keep in mind and honor the 2 cadets who misplaced their lives that evening.”
Captain Victor Hugo Molina Pérez and Admiral Francisco Guillermo Escamilla Cázares additionally spoke, honoring the fallen sailors and providing condolences to their households.
Among the many crowd was Carmen Ortiz, 65, a retired trainer from Puebla, who got here to see off her nephew, shipboard physician Hugo Adrián Calvario.
“He’s a traumatologist,” Ortiz advised The Publish.
“He was one of many first individuals to reply throughout the accident.”
She referred to as the crash “a traumatic and really unhappy evening for them, clearly.”
Spectators clapped and waved Mexican flags as dancers in regional costumes carried out on the pier.
“We got here to see them off dancing,” mentioned Saray Quiroz, 45, who carried out conventional routines from Chiapas.
“We ship them off with love and need them the perfect on their journey,” added Damaris Huerta, 49, from Jalisco.
Some of the emotional moments got here from Marlene Castro, 68, a college aide who was on the East River the evening of the crash and mentioned she nonetheless has nightmares.
“I’m so scared,” she mentioned, staring up on the newly restored masts.
“I’m nonetheless so scared for them. I used to be there when the boat hit the bridge. I used to be there once they had been doing CPR. I pray the God and the Virgin Mary watches over their souls in heaven.”
The Could 17 collision killed two sailors and injured 19 when the Cuauhtémoc — a 297-foot coaching barque — inexplicably reversed below energy and slammed into the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The masts snapped and fell as dozens of cadets had been “manning the masts” in ceremonial formation.
Federal investigators mentioned the vessel accelerated backward regardless of pilot instructions to maneuver forward.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board has not but decided the trigger, saying its inquiry may take a yr or extra.
The Cuauhtémoc spent 4 months in dry dock at Caddell Restore & Dry Dock Co. on Staten Island, the place crews rebuilt its three masts and inspected its propulsion and steering techniques.
The vessel accomplished a profitable sea trial in September earlier than relocating to the Intrepid pier final month.
Chris O’Brien, president of Sail 4th 250 — the group planning America’s 250th birthday maritime celebration subsequent yr — referred to as the ship’s departure a logo of renewal.
“We’re doing the large occasion for subsequent yr, and we’re very hopeful that the Cuauhtémoc and the Mexican Navy will likely be coming again to affix us for the occasions,” O’Brien mentioned.
“It’s going to be a big worldwide goodwill celebration proper right here in New York.”
“I got here to see them off,” he added.
“We now have a saying within the sea companies. I’m former Coast Guard. You say truthful winds and following seas and wishing them properly on their voyage.”
O’Brien referred to as tall ships just like the Cuauhtémoc “the Crown Jewels of their nations,” including,
David Winters, govt vp of the Intrepid Museum, mentioned New Yorkers had been proud to host the vessel.
“Tall ships like this are goodwill ambassadors for his or her nations, and we’re very, very comfortable to have this vessel right here on the Intrepid,” Winters mentioned.
“We’ve had different tall ship guests prior to now, we’ll have extra sooner or later, and it is a good preview to subsequent yr’s Sail 4th celebration of our nation.”
Because the Cuauhtémoc eased from the pier and the group cheered, the Mexican Navy’s band struck up one last tune.
The ship’s white sails caught the wind, and its masts — newly rebuilt and gleaming within the afternoon solar — rose once more above the Hudson.
