Terrible accident and the video from the Brooklyn side is insane, they seemed to drift quite close to shore .. could have been an even bigger disaster.<p>Note that the tall ship had been visiting South Street Seaport from which it departed. This is extremely close to the Brooklyn Bridge, roughly 1/8th of a mile. The East River has some strong currents, even at 5 knots that's something like only 2.5 minutes to drift into the bridge if they lost power when they left port.<p>This was part of a preparation for a big US 250th anniversary tall ship event next year in NYC, in which there will be far more ships next summer. Hopefully they re-evaluate port operations in time for that. From the video it looks like a tug ship was close enough to try and help, but not close enough to be of any use. Given the above math, it seems like a more proactive escort for tall ships may be in order..<p>edit: TikTok of the Brooklyn side showing how close it came to running aground <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vladmad9/video/7505576469876296991" rel="nofollow">https://www.tiktok.com/@vladmad9/video/7505576469876296991</a>
Very sorry to hear about those people.<p>It reminded me of something from childhood. It’s no comment on this story - just a personal anecdote.<p>We were on a family road trip, and I was wearing a new pair of cheap sunglasses, feeling way too cool for a kid. As we turned a corner, the setting sun blinded my father. But through my tinted lenses, I saw the wall coming. He didn’t. We crashed hard. My sunglasses flew off, and in that moment, all I cared about was catching them. For a few seconds, I thought that was the only emergency.<p>That moment left a mark. Now, whenever I start to feel too cool or overconfident, I get a quick flash, like a reflex, to check myself. How stupid will this look if things suddenly go wrong, especially if I could have seen it coming?<p>It’s made me quietly grateful for all the small, tedious safety rules. Not because they prevent every disaster - but because they sometimes do.
You can see on the video that all masts were fully manned. RIP<p><a href="https://reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1kp9sxn/ship_crashes_into_the_brooklyn_bridge/" rel="nofollow">https://reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1kp9sxn/ship...</a>
Why did they leave the Seaport on the flood tide? Low tide was 5:37 PM EDT, so at 8:30 the current up the "river" (really a tidal strait) was just about at its fastest – if they'd lost way there four or more hours earlier or later they'd have been washed out into the harbor, probably safely but at any rate not under any bridges.<p>At 8:30 PM, even if it had gone well, they'd have been motoring against a 3 knot current that they could have had going their way instead.<p>I fear the reason they left then was so they could have their light show with the cadets on the yardarms just after sunset for greatest effect and audience... but then they should have picked another day.
I've only ever heard of two ships hitting bridges; both recently, both in the US, both lost power and drifted into the bridge.<p>At least this bridge fall like a house of cards, I guess because the masts broke first.
RIP to everyone who died. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but when you're standing on the mast, how can you not tell that you're about to collide with the bridge?
accidents happen, <a href="https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-cma-cgm-feeder-hits-dock-and-crane-arriving-in-hamburg" rel="nofollow">https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-cma-cgm-feeder-...</a><p>the one in new york is bad because it's cadets, on a world tour, they are the best, representing there country, and flag
generaly these national training ships meet up somewhere each year and do a sail past, be interesting to see if Mexico pulls it together and can step new masts and be sea worthy in time