Overview

• The ship was reversing at 5.9 knots (about 6.8 mph) when its masts struck the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two Mexican Navy sailors and injuring more than a dozen crew members.
• Inspectors observed scraped paint on the vessel’s port side and a rudder bent sharply sideways, suggesting potential steering impairments at the time of impact.
• Harbor pilots issued commands in English that were translated into Spanish for the crew, underscoring the communication protocols during the complex East River maneuver.
• The NTSB has not determined a cause for the collision and continues to interview ship officers and tug operators as part of the active investigation.
• Officials say a final, comprehensive report will take over a year to complete, reflecting the probe’s technical and procedural scope.