A tanker struck a river cruise boat carrying about 129 passengers in New Orleans on Friday, tipping the vessel on its side and partly submerging it in the Mississippi River. Rescue crews pulled people from the water as emergency teams rushed to the scene.
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker hit the American Cruise Lines ship American Heritage at about 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday, 13 November, while the riverboat was docked at the Port of New Orleans, port officials said. The ship had docked about two hours earlier to begin letting passengers off.
Video from the scene showed the much larger tanker crash into the paddlewheel cruise boat. People were seen in the river wearing life jackets, while others stood near the railing as the vessel listed further into the water.
01. Twelve people in the water
Twelve people were in the water after the collision, local station WDSU reported, and rescue efforts were still going on. Port of New Orleans Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, police, the US Coast Guard and emergency medical teams were all at the scene. Passengers were being taken to the Port of New Orleans Administration Building for triage and help.
Officials have not yet said how many people were hurt, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation. One emergency response source said it was possible the tanker had lost power before hitting the ship, but that has not been confirmed.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed that several people had been rescued, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he was aware of the incident and was heading to the city.
