Mexico is grieving two cadets in the country’s navy that were killed on Saturday when the tall training ship Cuauhtémoc crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge.
América Sánchez, 20, and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, 23, died in the wreck that injured 22 other crew members, including three critically.
Two of the critically injured remained hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, officials said.
The body of Sánchez was scheduled to be transferred on Monday to the naval academy in her home state of Veracruz. She was in her final year as a navy cadet and was part of the international training cruise scheduled to visit 15 countries.
Sánchez’s mother, Rocío Hernández, said her daughter was “exemplary” and “a dedicated student” who dreamed of becoming a naval engineer.
“She was a warrior, a soldier who didn’t give up, who always fought for her goals,” Hernández said of her daughter, according to the BBC. She said that Mexico’s navy would hold a private ceremony for her at the naval academy before she brings her home.
Meanwhile, friends and relatives of Maldonado have reportedly been paying their respects in San Mateo del Mar, a coastal town in the state of Oaxaca. His friends told local media he had dreamt of following in his father’s footsteps in becoming a sailor.
An investigation into Saturday’s crash remains ongoing. It could take a year.
Commercial water traffic in the vicinity of the wreck remained suspended on Monday.
According to New York police, the Cuauhtémoc – which had 277 people on board – lost power as it was departing New York Harbor for Iceland and was dragged toward the Brooklyn Bridge by the current. Its three masts measuring more than 157ft (48 metres) collided with the base of the bridge, whose clearance is around 134.5ft (41 metres).
The ship reportedly had a local harbor pilot – familiar with the conditions of the water there – and an area docking pilot helping guide the ship. At least one was onboard at the time of the crash.
Michael Graham, a board member of the National Transportation Safety Board, confirmed during a press conference on Monday that there are currently no concerns about the structural integrity of the bridge.
He also said that the safety board is “currently working with our counterparts, with the Mexican government, to gain access to the ship. We are optimistic that we will have that access very soon.”
“This is the start of a long process,” he added.
Graham said that he does not know where the New York police department received the information about the power outage. As the safety board has not yet examined the engine room, they cannot confirm the existence of a power outage.
As of Monday, there are still people working to untangle parts of the mast as it remains a potential safety hazard.
“There is concern by everybody, especially those that are going to help move the ship to a shipyard, that we need to secure the mast up there,” Graham said.
“Some of it is broken off and it’s entangled in the lines, so those are obviously going to have to be secured before the ship is moved, so that doesn’t create another hazard.”
Bystanders captured the moments the ship collided with the bridge, which collapsed all three of the ship’s masts.
The ship left Acapulco, Mexico, on 6 April and was scheduled to stop in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July amid a global goodwill tour.
By Monday, 179 cadets had disembarked from the Cuauhtémoc and headed home, a New York City government spokesperson said. Another 94 crew members remained onboard at that time.
