New Orleans Cruise Ship Capsizes After Tanker Collision On The Mississippi River
A tanker struck a docked paddle wheeler in New Orleans on Friday and the vessel overturned. Everyone on board has been accounted for.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov 14 – A New Orleans cruise ship rolled over and sank on the Mississippi River on Friday after a tanker crashed into it while it was docked, throwing dozens of people into the water.
Everyone on board the paddle wheeler, the American Heritage, has been accounted for, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told a press conference. Harbor workers, firefighters and people on nearby boats rushed to pull passengers from the river.
Moreno said 32 passengers were taken to hospital, but none of them had critical injuries. She called the rescue “a miracle on the Mississippi.”
The collision happened at about midday. Moreno said the tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, lost control and hit the cruise vessel where it was tied up along the riverfront.
Passengers began to rush off the ship as it started to take on water. The mayor said the American Heritage then toppled over and flipped, dumping those still on board into the river.
About 87 passengers managed to get off the vessel before it capsized, Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said, according to the local newspaper The Times-Picayune and The New Orleans Advocate.
Moreno said between 180 and 190 passengers and crew members were on board at the time. The exact number is still being confirmed.
According to The American Heritage website, operated by American Cruise Lines, the vessel was built in 2015 and can carry 150 passengers. It is not yet clear why the number of people on board exceeded that figure, although the total given by the mayor includes crew members.
Moreno praised the fast response by local, state and federal teams. She also thanked bystanders on other vessels who helped haul people out of the water, and said their quick action prevented any deaths.
The United States Coast Guard said in an emailed statement that it closed all river traffic near the site after the crash. It did not say when the river would reopen.
Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham told The New Orleans Advocate that the tanker appeared to have suffered from steering failure. She said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
American Cruise Lines said in an emailed statement that it is working with the Coast Guard and local officials. The company said guests and crew were evacuated.
“We are deeply concerned for everyone involved,” the company said.
The company did not provide details on the condition of the passengers hospitalized. It also did not say what would happen to travelers booked on the vessel’s upcoming trips.
The Mississippi River at New Orleans is one of the busiest stretches of water in the United States. Large tankers and cargo ships pass close to the city’s docks, where cruise vessels and riverboats are moored for tourists.
Tankers losing steering near the city is not new. In 2004, a tanker called the Astro Altair struck a ferry landing near New Orleans after the pilot ordered the rudder to port, but the steering did not respond.
A far deadlier crash occurred in 1976. On October 20 of that year, the ferry George Prince was struck by the Norwegian tanker SS Frosta, which was traveling upriver on the Mississippi River, causing the ferry to capsize.
Officials have not said whether the Atlantic Asphalt was carrying cargo at the time of Friday’s crash. They also have not said whether the tanker was damaged or whether any fuel or other material leaked into the river.
The Coast Guard usually leads investigations into crashes on the river, and the National Transportation Safety Board often joins major cases. Neither agency has said how long the inquiry will take.
The American Heritage now lies on its side in the river near the dock where it was hit.
