Mexican Navy sailing ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge

Two crew members of a Mexican Navy sailing ship died Saturday night when the vessel struck the underside of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, smashing its masts and rigging. At least 22 others of the 277 people on board the training vessel were injured, 11 of them critically. The tall ship crashed backward into the bridge after apparently losing control of its auxiliary engine. The 300-foot ship had just left an East River pier bound for New York Harbor on a journey to its next stop in Iceland.

Class discussion: Just over a year ago, a much larger ship with engine trouble hit and destroyed a bridge in Baltimore Harbor, killing six workers. Should tugboats do much more to guide vessels through busy harbors and waterways? Many tall ships are used to train modern sailors. What can sailors learn on these vessels? Does it take more effort and coordinated teamwork to crew a large sailing ship? Does mastering the difficulties and dangers of tall ships build confidence in the few sailors selected for the training?