Tanker collides with cruise ship in New Orleans, leaving 32 hospitalized
A cargo tanker crashed into a docked river cruise ship in New Orleans on Friday, sending passengers into the water and resulting in 32 hospitalizations.
Thirty-two people were hospitalized on Friday after a tanker plowed into a docked river cruise ship in New Orleans, sending passengers into the water and prompting officials to hail a miracle on the Mississippi
because no lives were lost. The collision occurred when the 520-foot tanker Atlantic Asphalt—registered in the Marshall Islands and owned by a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation—struck the paddlewheel cruise ship American Heritage while it was docked near the Crescent City Connection. Reports of the time of the crash varied between 12:30 p.m. and 13:30 EST, according to local officials.
The impact left the five-story, 2015-built cruise ship listing heavily before it partially submerged and tilted onto its side. At the time of the disaster, the American Heritage was carrying about 129 passengers in addition to crew members, having docked earlier to finish an eight-day Mississippi River cruise through Louisiana and Mississippi. Witness Jamie Holford told CBS that the impact sounded like a war movie. Just imagine tons of steel crunching.
Holford added that he saw passengers and crew members hollering
and crying
as they tried to escape a scene that looked like something off the Titanic.
Devon Flanagan, working nearby at the Port of New Orleans, described the scene as pure chaos with barges and other vessels rushing to assist people still in the water.
Who was affected and how did the rescue unfold?
Emergency responders from multiple agencies rushed to the scene as passengers scrambled for safety, with some climbing over railings or jumping into the water wearing life jackets. More than a dozen people were dragged out of the 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) water onto nearby ships by tugboat operators, private volunteers, and first responders.
- At least 180 total passengers and crew members were rescued from the water and the stricken vessel.
- Thirty-two people from the cruise ship were transported to area hospitals, though Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed that none suffered critical injuries.
- Two Port NOLA Harbor Police officers were also hospitalized during the rescue operation and were listed in good condition.
- No injuries were reported aboard the Atlantic Asphalt tanker.
- Officials confirmed that zero people remain unaccounted for following the collision.
Local and federal agencies mobilized immediately, including the Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies did such an incredible job of rescue,
while Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin noted that the Coast Guard supported local efforts. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also praised the operation, stating that ships have operated safely on the river for years and pledging a full investigation.
What caused the Atlantic Asphalt to lose control?
While the exact trigger remains under investigation, U.S. Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham told reporters that there seems to be some type of a loss of steering,
though she emphasized that the exact reason why, we don't know that.
Mayor Moreno similarly stated that the tanker lost control
before hitting the passenger vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 near the Crescent City Connection to protect emergency crews. Captain Burnham noted that authorities were working to evaluate how to reopen the waterway as soon as possible.
| Vessel Name | Vessel Type | Capacity / Size | Operator / Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Heritage | Paddlewheel cruise ship | Up to 150 guests (5 stories) | American Cruise Lines |
| Atlantic Asphalt | Cargo tanker | 520 feet long | China State Shipbuilding Corporation (subsidiary) |
That snapshot highlights the disparity in scale between the two vessels involved in Friday's collision. The Atlantic Asphalt is designed specifically to transport asphalt and bitumen, materials utilized in road construction and roofing. The American Heritage, formerly known as Queen of the Mississippi, features multiple passenger decks, lounges, a restaurant, and a fitness center.
What comes next for the federal investigation?
Accountability and answers now shift from local emergency responders to federal investigators. The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is dispatching a Go Team to the scene to begin an independent federal inquiry into the cause of the collision.
Coast Guard investigators remained on site late Friday alongside NTSB personnel to secure wreckage, interview crew members from both ships, and review navigational logs. The NTSB Go Team arrives on Saturday.
