A tanker that apparently lost its steering rammed a river cruise boat docked at the Port of New Orleans on Friday, causing the passenger vessel to flood and roll onto its side and throwing dozens of people into the Mississippi River. Everyone aboard survived, officials said.
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage at about 12:30 p.m. while the riverboat was tied up along the Mississippi, according to Port of New Orleans officials cited by CNN. The collision set off a sweeping rescue effort involving tugboat crews, nearby port workers, police and firefighters.
Mayor Helena Moreno described the outcome as “a miracle on the Mississippi,” The Associated Press said. She told reporters all passengers were accounted for and that none of those injured were in critical condition.
Moreno said 32 people were taken to hospitals. LCMC Health, which includes University Medical Center New Orleans, said its hospitals had received about two dozen patients for evaluation.
Ship flipped during evacuation
Moreno said the tanker “lost control” before hitting the riverboat.
“The passengers began disembarking from the (American Cruise Lines) ship after that collision, but while that was happening, the cruise ship began to sink, and then eventually the cruise ship toppled over and flipped,” she said. “Now, when that occurred, we started to have people in the water.”
The number of people on board varied by account. The mayor put the total at 180, the AP said. CNN, citing port officials, said more than 130 people were aboard, while The Advocate newspaper, citing unnamed port officials, said 129 passengers were on the vessel. The figures may reflect differing counts of passengers and crew.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said the tanker appeared to have suffered “some type of a loss of steering,” but said officials did not yet know the “exact reason why.” She said a river pilot was operating the tanker at the time.
Video of the collision showed the far larger tanker crashing into the docked cruise boat amid the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass, the AP said. The riverboat began listing within minutes and capsized while rescuers were still working to get everyone off.
Frantic rescue in the river
Emergency dispatch audio released by New Orleans Fire and Emergency Services captured the unfolding crisis. “We have a river boat taking on water steadily,” one responder said. Moments later came another report: “The boat has just tipped over, we have patients in the water.”
Dozens of passengers and at least two police officers were pulled from the 66-degree Fahrenheit (19-degree Celsius) water onto nearby vessels, the AP said. Responders worked to lift people onto a tugboat. CBS News said at least 14 people were rescued from the river, Reuters noted.
Devon Flanagan, who was working nearby at the port, said he saw the American Heritage on its side and people in the water as workers ran down the dock.
“It was just chaos,” he said. “You had all types of ships, like other barges and other companies down there trying to help out, which also was a little convoluted because you had people still in the water.”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the Coast Guard was assisting Louisiana authorities and that DHS was “throwing every asset we have” into the rescue. “Our prayers are with all those impacted by this terrible tragedy,” he wrote.
The Coast Guard said all river traffic in the area had been closed.
The vessels involved
The American Heritage, built in 2015, is a five-deck riverboat that can carry up to 150 passengers. It was wrapping up an eight-day voyage to destinations along the Mississippi in Louisiana and Mississippi.
“American Cruise Lines can confirm that our riverboat, American Heritage, was involved in a collision while it was docked in New Orleans,” the company told CNN. “We are in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities. Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved.”
The Atlantic Asphalt is a 520-foot (160-meter) tanker flagged in the Marshall Islands that specializes in carrying asphalt and bitumen, a semi-solid material used in road construction and roofing, according to the ship-tracking service MarineTraffic. Its final destination was New Orleans.
Vessels carrying those products are often heated above 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius) to keep the cargo from hardening, according to the maritime publication Marine Insight. It was not immediately clear whether the tanker was loaded at the time of the crash.
A near-catastrophe and the questions ahead
That every person aboard survived a capsizing in a major river is remarkable, and the mayor’s description reflects how close the incident came to mass casualties. Several factors appear to have worked in passengers’ favor: the riverboat was docked rather than underway, evacuation had already begun when it rolled, the water was relatively mild, and a busy working port meant tugboats and crews were within reach almost immediately.
The central question now is why the tanker lost control. Burnham’s reference to a loss of steering points investigators toward mechanical, electrical or control-system failure, though human factors will also be reviewed. The presence of a river pilot, a specialist navigating the Mississippi’s challenging currents, means the inquiry will likely examine pilot actions as well as the vessel’s systems and maintenance records. Federal investigators typically take a lead role in significant marine accidents.
The incident echoes the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, when a cargo ship lost power and struck the structure, renewing attention to how large commercial vessels operate near critical infrastructure and crowded areas. In New Orleans, where cruise ships, tankers and barges share a busy and powerful stretch of river, the collision is likely to prompt questions about traffic management near passenger terminals.
The tanker’s cargo is another concern. If the ship was carrying heated asphalt or bitumen, officials would want to confirm there was no environmental release. The closure of river traffic suggests authorities are assessing both the wreck and any potential hazards.
For American Cruise Lines and the river cruise industry, the event will draw attention to passenger safety while docked, a phase of a voyage often considered low-risk. The swift evacuation that was already underway when the boat capsized may become a key part of the story of why no lives were lost.
Sources: CNN; The Associated Press (AP); Reuters; The Advocate; CBS News
