Officials and cadets aboard the Mexican Navy’s tall ship Cuauhtémoc prepare to depart Pier 86 after a farewell ceremony at the Intrepid Museum.LP Media
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After months of repairs and remembrance, the Mexican Navy’s tall ship Cuauhtémoc sailed out of Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, marking the end of its six-month stay in New York following a tragic collision with the Brooklyn Bridge.
Hundreds gathered along Pier 86 beside the Intrepid Museum to bid farewell to the three-masted training vessel, waving Mexican flags and joining in song and dance as the ship prepared for its voyage home to Cozumel.
At 2:45 p.m., the ship’s cadets assembled on deck as a military band played the Mexican and naval anthems. By 3:20 p.m., the gangway was lifted and the Cuauhtémoc began its 35-day journey south.
Members of the Cuauhtémoc crew stand in formation on deck as the Mexican and naval anthems play before departure.LP Media
“We are very proud of the Cuauhtémoc, which has been crossing the seas of the world since 1986,” said Marcos Augustus Bucio Mujica, Mexico’s consul general in New York. “We are deeply grateful to Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and the hospitals and first responders who assisted during and after the tragic accident. Today, we remember and honor the two cadets who lost their lives that night.”
Captain Victor Hugo Molina Pérez and Admiral Francisco Guillermo Escamilla Cázares also addressed the crowd, paying tribute to the fallen sailors and offering condolences to their families.
Crew members man the rigging of the Cuauhtémoc as the ship departs the Hudson River for Cozumel.LP Media
Among those attending was Carmen Ortiz, a 65-year-old retired teacher from Puebla, who came to see off her nephew, shipboard doctor Hugo Adrián Calvario. “He was one of the first to respond during the accident,” she said. “It was such a stressful and heartbreaking night for them.”
Spectators cheered as dancers in traditional attire performed regional routines. “We came to see them off dancing,” said Saray Quiroz, 45, from Chiapas. “We send them off with love and wish them the best on their journey,” added Damaris Huerta, 49, from Jalisco.
For some, the farewell stirred painful memories. Marlene Castro, 68, who witnessed the collision, said she still has nightmares. “I was there when the boat hit the bridge. I saw them doing CPR,” she recalled. “I pray that God and the Virgin Mary watch over their souls.”
The May 17 crash killed two sailors and injured 19 others when the Cuauhtémoc—a 297-foot barque—reversed unexpectedly under power, striking the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge. The ship’s masts collapsed while dozens of cadets were “manning the masts” in ceremonial formation. Federal investigators said the vessel accelerated backward despite orders to move ahead. The National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation, which may take a year or longer.
After the accident, the Cuauhtémoc spent four months in dry dock at Caddell Repair & Dry Dock Co. on Staten Island, where crews rebuilt the masts and overhauled the propulsion and steering systems. The ship successfully completed sea trials in September before returning to the Intrepid pier.
Chris O’Brien, president of Sail 4th 250 — the organization preparing for next year’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary — called the ship’s departure “a symbol of renewal.”
“We’re very hopeful that the Cuauhtémoc and the Mexican Navy will join us again next year,” O’Brien said. “It’s going to be a gigantic international goodwill celebration right here in New York. Fair winds and following seas to them on their voyage.”
David Winters, executive vice president of the Intrepid Museum, praised the ship’s visit. “Tall ships like this are goodwill ambassadors for their nations,” he said. “New Yorkers were honored to host the Cuauhtémoc, and this farewell is a fitting preview to next year’s Sail 4th celebration.”
As the Cuauhtémoc eased away from the pier, the Mexican Navy’s band played one final song, echoing across the Hudson as the crowd waved goodbye.
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