Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash but a recently released report details the timeline leading up to the May 17 collision.

Between 8:20 and 8:22 p.m., the Cuauhtémoc moved astern (backward) and away from Pier 17. After the ship cleared of the slip, the docking pilot issued a stop command, “gave a dead-slow-ahead order, and directed the Charles D. McAllister tug to reposition on the starboard bow of the Cuauhtémoc.”