Some 200 people gathered Wednesday night at a heartbreaking vigil for the young sailors who died or were injured on the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtemoc after its crash into the Brooklyn Bridge.
The solemn crowd — including Mexican and New York City officials, Mayor Adams among them — gathered in the pouring rain on the Brooklyn side of the iconic bridge to honor those lost in the crash. A mariachi band sang Mexican folk songs, and portraits of America Yamilet Sanchez, 20, and Adal Jair Marcos, 23, were plastered on metal barricades along with the U.S. and Mexican flags.
“I understand the circle of life. But when I look at the faces of these young people, these young people who lost their lives in the military service that’s important to their country, I don’t have the logic,” Adams said. “I don’t have the words, but all I do know in moments like this, you trust God.”
As Adams arrived at the vigil, he bowed his head in front of each of the fallen sailor’s portraits, then placed a bundle of white flowers in front of each portrait.
“These are moments when you realize how precious life is, and I’m here today because the people of Mexico that live in this city have showed us how much you love your home country, and you love your adopted country, America,” Adams said.
The bodies of Sanchez and Jair Marcos have been repatriated to Mexico, where a vigil for Sanchez was held.
“We are grieving with the world and our brothers in Mexico,” said Bronx native Fabian Aguilar, 56, a dancer with Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Nueva York, who attended the vigil. “We are very sad over this tragedy. We stand in the rain and mourn because we are all brothers.”
Madelin Martinez, 16, of Brooklyn said the vigil was “really touching.”
“It came out of the blue, they were gone in minutes,” Martinez said. “They were too young to die and they were not with their families. It was so important that they were here. With everything going on and [ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement], they represented our culture and now they are gone.”
According to the FDNY, at least 19 of those aboard were treated for injuries, with 11 initially listed in critical condition.
Most of the crew that was aboard Cuauhtemoc — including some who were initially treated for injuries — were safely back in Mexico by Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Following an interagency meeting, discussions were held by the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Transportation Safety Board, the ship’s contractors and City Hall representatives focusing on the repair efforts on the ship, the crew’s welfare and tow logistics, according to city Emergency Management spokesman Aries Dela Cruz.
The Coast Guard “continues to support the vessel and crew of the ARM Cuauhtemoc. The U.S. Navy is coordinating shoreside housing while repairs proceed. All injured crew have been discharged from the hospital and are now safely back in Mexico,” Dela Cruz said. “Final plans for repairing the impacted masts are being prepared for submission to the Coast Guard. A tow plan for the vessel is also in development for [ Coast Guard] review. An underwater hull survey is anticipated for Saturday.”
Repairs are currently underway on the ship as officials wrapped up their damage assessment on Tuesday with marine surveyors and contractors accessing the vessel. The Cuauhtemoc hasn’t sustained any damage to the hull, which would allow it to be moved from Pier 37, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, with tugboat assistance. The National Transportation Safety Board is also checking if there are any data recorders holding pivotal evidence of how the crash occurred.
The training ship is expected to be towed to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it will be dry-docked as the investigation continues, Emergency Management officials said Tuesday. With wind and rain halting the process of towing the ship, the Cuauhtemoc is expected to move to a dry dock facility by Sunday.
The two fatalities occurred when the ship’s masts crashed into the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night. Multiple crew members aloft in the masts were left dangling in the air by their safety harnesses after the East River crash, but no one ended up in the water.
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