Mayor Eric Adams has firmly countered allegations made by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow Democrat from New York, regarding the tragic incident involving a ship collision at the Brooklyn Bridge.
Schumer had suggested that federal budget cuts to the Coast Guard might have played a role in the unfortunate event.
During an appearance on FOX 5s Good Day New York, Adams addressed these claims, asserting that the Coast Guard delivered a "full response" to the collision involving the Mexican tall ship Cuauhtmoc and the iconic East River crossing. According to The New York Post, Adams emphasized that New York City is adept at managing crises.
He recounted a conversation with a Coast Guard member at the scene, who noted that in other parts of the country, the Coast Guard often bears more responsibility during emergencies due to insufficient local support from agencies like the police or fire department. He said, When you go to other regions to deal with Coast Guard-related issues, the Coast Guard is filling a lot of manpower. Not in New York City, Adams stated.
The mayor commended the efforts of the city's emergency response teams, including the harbor unit, NYPD, FDNY, and EMS, while questioning the basis of Schumer's assertions. Im not clear on where the senator got that information from, but I know we had a full response on both sides of the river, and we normally do that, we manage crises extremely well in this city, Adams remarked.
When pressed about the potential impact of federal cutbacks, Adams responded, Unless the senator knows something that I dont know, but I dont know what other role the Coast Guard would have played. We have the boats that were needed, we have the manpower that was needed, and we responded accordingly to get those 19 injured off the ship.
The collision resulted in the tragic deaths of two crew members and left several others critically injured. Adams, who has been aligning more closely with the Trump administration and distancing himself from some New York Democrats amid his re-election campaign, provided further insight into the incident.
He explained that many sailors were trapped in the rigging and unable to descend as the ship drifted backward toward the 142-year-old bridge. I was speaking to one of the crew members who was still on the boat, and they stated [that] to get up there, it takes 5 minutes roughly to climb up there. So that can give you a real indicator of how high it is, he explained.
The accident has been attributed to a mechanical failure that impaired the ship's steering, leading to the deaths of young Mexican navy cadets Amrica Yamilet Snchez, 20, and 22-year-old Adal Jair Marcos.
Eleven other sailors sustained critical injuries. As the investigation continues, questions remain about the preparedness and response capabilities of both federal and local agencies in such maritime emergencies.
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