Tall Ship Hits Brooklyn Bridge

[FCD]

Ever since I was a kid I've always been fascinated with tall ships (sailing ships).  When I was just knee high to a grasshopper my sister took me to see the USS Constitution in Boston.  Even though Wyoming is about as far as you can get from sailing, I was still just fascinated with these ships.  Last week a Mexican Navy tall ship pulled into NY as a port of call during a world circumnavigation.  She was to stay in NY until the July 4th celebrations.  The pageantry of the crew of Mexican Naval cadets was just spectacular.  I had even commented about it to my wife last week when they had pictures in the media.

Well, yesterday something went terribly wrong during some kind of a performance maneuver and they lost control of it (somehow) and it sailed into the Brooklyn Bridge, shearing off most of the masts.  There were dozens of cadets up on the yardarms at the time (part of why this particular ship was so magnificent), and when the masts came down so did they.  Two dead and 17 injured, many critically.  What a tragedy.

Normally I don't have a lot of nice things to say about Mexico, but this ship and her crew were a big exception.  What a terrible loss, both the crew and the ship.  It will likely take years to repair this ship to her former glory.

Mexican Tall Ship Collides with Brooklyn Bridge

[Nugget]

How could they not know didn't have enough clearance to safely pass under the bridge? Maybe not being able to read English? 

I feel bad for the captain; his life is going to suck going forward.

[FCD]

How could they not know didn't have enough clearance to safely pass under the bridge? Maybe not being able to read English? 

I feel bad for the captain; his life is going to suck going forward.

They weren't intending to go under the bridge; they drifted under it in the river's current.  Notice they're going backwards when they hit the bridge.  There was a tug nearby, but the tug couldn't get around behind them fast enough.

I think the bigger question is, who directed such a large sailing ship to moor so closely to the bridge in the first place?  Large sailing vessels like this typically do have engines, but they're usually smaller than those on a regular ship.  Depending on which article you read, there are reports they "lost power" shortly before hitting the bridge.  Where have we heard that term before, 'lost power'??  Francis Scott Key Bridge, anyone?

[Nugget]

I read there was no structual damage to the bridge itself, so no emergency funding for them.