Dozens of naval cadets stood stoically aboard the Cuauhtémoc’s towering 147-foot mast, while others dressed in cultural Mexican garb awaited nearby, and three long horns sounded as the boat sailed through New York Harbor as a signal of goodwill between Mexico and the US — even amid the ongoing tariff drama.

Two Mexican Navy soldiers who were part of 277 passengers have died after the mast they were standing on aboard the ARM Cuauhtémoc (BE01) collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. The Cuauhtémoc is 297 feet tall and has 3 masts.

According to Sail Training International, the Cuauhtémoc was constructed in Bilbao, Spain, in 1981 under the name Celaya. The Mexican Navy later purchased the ship to use as a training vessel for officers, cadets, petty officers, and sailors.