“The entire maneuver the ship made, from leaving the dock to the moment of the collision, was under the control of the pilot,” said Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles at a news conference, reports ABC Noticias. This blunt declaration has been the target of an investigation into a number of facets of last week’s Mexican Navy training ship, Cuauhtémoc, crash onto the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. The accident that killed two and injured 22 has raised an inquiry into the human and mechanical causes of maritime accidents.
The 270-foot-tall Cuauhtémoc was on a ceremonial tour when it hit the Brooklyn Bridge late at night on May 17, 2025. As it left Pier 17 in lower Manhattan, the ship was being navigated by a local harbor pilot, normal for ships that size transiting congested ports. Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles underlined that the pilot of the harbor had the ship in command throughout the maneuver, including during the brief seconds before the collision. However, to date, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not rendered a verdict on whether what the pilot did was right based on the situation that was at hand, which was a couple of 80 to 90 seconds of time in which to react to the impending, fast-approaching collision.
The NTSB, along with Mexican authorities, is conducting the accident investigation to determine what caused the accident. The NTSB on-scene investigator, Brian Young, explained again that they will be examining several areas, such as the actions of the crew, ship condition, and environmental conditions such as wind, tide, and current. The investigation will also examine the tugboat’s movements in nudging the Cuauhtémoc away from leaving Pier 17. The tugboat allegedly nudged too early, and this can have caused it to collide with the bridge. The NTSB is busy gathering all the evidence, from electronic records to witnesses and surveillance footage, to reconstruct what transpired on the day of the accident.
With ongoing investigation, liability is something to worry about. The accident occurred within the waters of the U.S., and therefore it falls under federal admiralty jurisdiction. According to a review of the law, this jurisdictional aspect can have injured Mexican mariners seek their claims under certain maritime law, such as the Suits in Admiralty Act and Public Vessels Act in U.S. courts. These legislations provide a waiver of immunity for government-owned vessels against admiralty claims, and thus could potentially provide for claims of negligence issued against the United States government or corporations such as the tugboat company.
The NTSB investigative process, described on their official site, is a detailed process which includes initial notice, investigation of facts, analysis, and finding of probable cause. The Cuauhtémoc accident investigation will take a long time since it can take up to 24 months to complete. NTSB Board Member Michael Graham also added, “We will not be drawing any conclusions. We will not speculate. We will also not be determining the probable cause while we’re on scene.” It is the role of the NTSB to focus on probable cause and transportation safety alone and leave criminal investigations to local police or the FBI.
The accident has also ignited debate about the duties of the tugboat operator and the harbor pilot. Legally interpreted, the tugboat operator, to whom the Cuauhtémoc belonged when it collided, will probably be liable. It is the operator’s duty to prevent collisions as mandated by 33 CFR § 164.11, which insists tugboat masters maintain reasonable control over towed or escorted vessels at safe speed and direction even in adverse weather. The boat’s pilot on board the vessel may also be questioned about potential negligence as NY Navigation Law § 89-b mandates that foreign vessels operating in New York State waters must be controlled by a qualified harbor pilot with local knowledge.
Through the ongoing investigation, the NTSB will continue to gather evidence and scrutinize the sequence of events to the accident. The probe will include verification of the condition of the ship engine, any failure, and operation of the tugboat. The NTSB invited members of the public to provide any additional information, pictures, or video footage of the accident to assist in their investigation. A 30-day initial report, and a final report of probable cause and suggested action in 12 to 24 months, said the NTSB.
There has also been controversy in law as to who was responsible for the accident. On a survey of law, the nationalities of the individuals injured, who were all Mexican mariners, raise especially question as to their status to pursue damages in American courts. Foreign nationals are never automatically excluded from filing civil actions in the U.S., but admiralty law is inclined towards granting such rights to them for instituting injury claims under specific statutes like the Suits in Admiralty Act and Public Vessels Act. The tugboat crew, having the responsibility to push the Cuauhtémoc away from the pier in the reverse direction, could be held liable for injury claims. Code of Federal Regulations, 33 CFR § 164.11, provides that tugboat masters should be held responsible for all escorted or towed vehicles in their care even under adverse weather conditions to prevent collision.
Focus throughout the investigation is on how events occurred to lead to the collision. The NTSB is working with the Mexican government to secure access to the Cuauhtémoc, which remains moored at Pier 36. The activities of the tugboat and harbor pilot will also be included in the investigation, since they navigated the vessel through the crowded waters of New York Harbor NY. Navigation Law § 89-b does mandate that each foreign vessel transiting New York State waterways be accompanied by a licensed harbor pilot. The U.S. Supreme Court has already decided that pilots can also be held legally responsible for collisions due to negligence, though they are technically temporary navigators, as outlined in a detailed legal article.
The sinking has also caused alarm for marine safety in New York City’s congested waters, just as it had when a freighter had collided with and sunk a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore only the previous year. During the ongoing investigation, questions about the tugboat’s purpose, the harbor pilot’s conduct, and the vessel’s mechanical condition are under examination. The NTSB investigation is thorough and ongoing, trying to establish the exact sequence of events that led to the deadly crash. As NTSB Board Member Michael Graham explained, “We will not be drawing any conclusions. We will not speculate. We will also not be determining the probable cause while we’re on scene.”
The accident also raises questions of liability, particularly the liability of the tugboat owner and the harbor pilot. The tugboat was reported to be assisting the Cuauhtémoc to back out of the pier when the incident occurred. The tugboat operator, who is responsible for the vessel, according to the opinion of lawyers, can be held liable for failing to avoid the collision, especially if they were not in control of the ship. The role of the harbor pilot, who is mandatorily required to pilot foreign vessels through New York State waters, will also be probed for acts of negligence, i.e., underestimating the height of the masts or failing to account for weather conditions.
The probe will also examine whether engine failure was the reason for the accident. Cuauhtémoc was assisted by a tugboat after its engines failed in the strong currents of the East River, reported CBS News. The abrupt failure of engines might be one of the reasons behind the ship colliding with the bridge. The initial report by the NTSB would be out in 30 days, but the full probe may take two years.
The deadly crash has also generated controversy over tugboat crew and harbor pilot liability if such a crash were to occur. As stressed by maritime authorities, it must be considered whether the tugboat driver or harbor pilot took some preventive action for granted, such as measuring the height of the masts or the velocity of the ship. The NTSB investigation will study these and other characteristics in order to determine the series of events that led to the collision.
Since the crash, the U.S. Coast Guard has faced scrutiny over its handling of the incident, particularly concerning the performance of its Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system, which is designed to monitor commercial traffic and ensure safe navigation in congested areas like New York Harbor. While the Coast Guard claimed the VTS was operational at the time, lingering doubts remain about its effectiveness and whether staffing errors played a role. The accident underscores the urgent need for stronger regulation and safety protocols in maritime operations, especially in busy ports where large vessels routinely face challenging weather. As the investigation unfolds, the maritime community looks for answers that could shape future safeguards and help avert similar tragedies.
