Mexican Navy Ship Went Backwards Before Brooklyn Bridge Crash: Ntsb

The Mexican naval vessel Cuauhtémoc collapsed into nan Brooklyn Bridge connected May 17, and now nan National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report providing immoderate penetration into what led to nan crash. The Brooklyn Bridge collision killed 2 unit members and injured 19 others. The NTSB is now offering nan astir elaborate appraisal to date, though respective cardinal questions stay unanswered.

Ship went backwards, contempt pilot’s commands

The clang happened soon aft nan vessel near dock successful New York City, bound for Iceland. A docking pilot, who is responsible for guiding ships retired of nan harbor, boarded nan alloy and gave orders for nan vessel to move distant from nan pier. After clearing nan dock, nan aviator gave a “stop” command, past ordered nan vessel to proceed guardant astatine a slow speed.

But nan vessel did nan opposite.

According to nan NTSB, nan alloy began moving backward and past accelerated successful reverse. Despite further commands from nan docking aviator to move forward, nan vessel continued backing up until its masts slammed into nan underside of nan Brooklyn Bridge.

At nan time, Mexican sailors were opinionated connected nan masts arsenic portion of a naval display, starring to nan deadly accident.

Details from NTSB report

The oversea aviator boarded nan alloy soon aft 7 p.m. The docking aviator arrived astatine astir 7:45 p.m. At 8:16 p.m., nan six mooring lines securing nan vessel were released, according to nan investigation. The docking aviator issued verbal commands to nan ship’s captain, who relayed them successful Spanish to nan crew. In summation to directing nan ship, nan docking aviator was besides coordinating pinch a tugboat, which followed nan pilot’s instructions. However, nan vessel did not respond arsenic intended. Instead, it continued moving successful reverse, pinch its velocity expanding from 3.3 knots to 5.9 knots earlier colliding pinch nan Brooklyn Bridge.

Cause of clang still unknown

The preliminary study does not explicate why nan docking pilot’s orders were not followed aliases why nan vessel accelerated successful reverse. It besides does not reside whether a mechanical nonaccomplishment aliases motor problem occurred.

However, nan study confirmed that those responsible for navigating nan vessel tested antagonistic for narcotics and alcohol.

Mexican navy comments and ongoing investigation

After nan accident, Mexican navy Commander Adm. Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles pointed to nan docking aviator arsenic nan 1 successful control.

“All nan maneuvering that nan vessel did, from nan infinitesimal it leaves nan dock until it collided, is nether nan power of nan pilot. Who decides really nan maneuver is performed? The larboard pilot, precisely,” he told reporters.

He later clarified that it was excessively early to find whether nan aviator acted improperly.

The Mexican navy is conducting its ain investigation, but nary findings person been released. The last study from nan U.S. information committee could return a twelvemonth aliases much to complete.