Agencies New York

A Mexican navy sailing ship on a global goodwill tour struck the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night, snapping its three masts, fatally injuring two crew members and leaving some sailors dangling from harnesses high in the air waiting for help.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the 142-year-old bridge was spared major damage but at least 19 people about the ship needed medical treatment after the crash. Two of the four people who suffered more serious injuries later died, Adams announced on social media early Sunday morning.

The cause of the collision was under investigation. In a scene captured in multiple eyewitness videos, the ship, called the Cuauhtemoc, could be seen travelling swiftly toward the bridge near the Brooklyn side of the East River. Then, its three masts struck the bridge's main span and snapped, one by one, as the ship kept moving.

Videos showed heavy traffic on the span at the time of the 8:20 pm collision. The vessel, which was flying a giant green, white and red Mexican flag and had 277 people aboard, then drifted toward the piers lining the riverbank as onlookers scrambled away.

Sailors could be seen aloft in the rigging on the damaged masts but, remarkably, no one fell into the water, officials said. Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told The Associated Press they were sitting outside to watch the sunset when they saw the vessel strike the bridge. Looking closer, they saw someone dangling from high on the ship.