A Mexican navy tall ship’s fatal collision with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday highlighted a hazard that has worried seafarers for nearly 150 years. Even before construction on the bridge was finished in the late 19th century,

The Cuauhtémoc, she explains, met strong currents and a possible mechanical issue trying to back out of the South Street Seaport, a tragedy that resulted in two cadet deaths (América Sánchez and Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos) and 19 injuries of the 277 people on board.

Panicked parkgoers in Brooklyn Bridge Park could be seen on video running from the water’s edge as the crippled ship appeared to drift toward them. “The boat was coming under the bridge ...