FACTS
The tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck the docked river cruise boat American Heritage on the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans at about 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, the Port of New Orleans said. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said 32 people were taken to hospitals, none with critical injuries, and that no one was unaccounted for.
The tanker hit the New Orleans riverboat while it was tied up outside 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, below the Crescent City Connection bridge, according to Port NOLA. The port said the American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines, had docked about two hours earlier so passengers could begin getting off, and that about 129 passengers plus crew were aboard. The Waterways Journal reported that Moreno put the total number of people aboard, including crew, at between 180 and 190.
What officials said about the New Orleans riverboat
At an afternoon news conference, Moreno said 32 people had been taken to local hospitals and none had “any type of critical injuries,” according to Yahoo News coverage of the briefing. The Waterways Journal reported that the mayor said 30 of them were passengers and 2 were first responders. “We have zero people unaccounted for, which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi,” Moreno said, as quoted by Yahoo News.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who traveled to New Orleans after the collision, told reporters, “This is a miracle on the Mississippi,” The Waterways Journal reported. Earlier, Landry wrote on social media, “We are aware of the incident on the Mississippi and we are in close contact with local officials and law enforcement,” and later, “I am headed to New Orleans now.”
State and federal officials said no one aboard the tanker was hurt, according to The Waterways Journal. Earlier in the afternoon, Moreno’s office said multiple people had been rescued and that search and rescue operations were continuing, WDSU reported. Yahoo News, citing The Associated Press, reported that more than a dozen people wearing life jackets were pulled from the river onto nearby vessels.
American Cruise Lines said in a statement, “Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved.” The company said it was “in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities.” Port officials said passengers were taken to the Port of New Orleans Administration Building for triage and assistance.
The vessels
The Atlantic Asphalt is a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker of about 160 meters that carries asphalt and bitumen, according to the maritime news site gCaptain and ship tracking data from MarineTraffic. gCaptain reported that the tanker struck the port side of the American Heritage, which then took on water and rolled onto its side next to the dock. CBS News reported that the boat was on its side and largely submerged.
The American Heritage is a paddlewheel riverboat that entered service in 2015 as the Queen of the Mississippi and was renamed in 2022, according to its Wikipedia entry and Cruise Industry News. CBS News reported that it can carry up to 150 passengers. Yahoo News reported that the passengers were finishing an eight-day cruise.
River closure and investigation
The U.S. Coast Guard said it was responding to a collision between a tanker and a cruise ship near mile marker 96 and closed the river to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96, Coast Guard Lt. Krystal Wolfe told FOX Television Stations. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said at the news conference that the river would reopen as soon as possible, likely with traffic moving in one direction at first, The Waterways Journal reported. The city also suspended RTA ferry service across the river as a precaution, according to a city post on X reported by The National News Desk.
The cause of the collision has not been confirmed. The Port of New Orleans said earlier Friday that “the number of injuries and the cause of the allision have not yet been confirmed.” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said National Transportation Safety Board investigators were having trouble reaching New Orleans because of the nationwide FAA ground stop, WDSU reported. Earlier Friday, Stay Current News reported on the ground stop: Stay Current News: FAA ground stop halts departures.
This story will be updated as the Coast Guard, the NTSB, the city and American Cruise Lines release more information.
More national news is on the Stay Current News U.S. page.
Photo: File photo of the American Heritage, then named Queen of the Mississippi, docked in Dubuque, Iowa, not taken during Friday’s collision. Farragutful / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
