Tanker Hits Docked Cruise Boat in New Orleans, 32 Hospitalized

A tanker crashed into the American Heritage, a paddlewheel river cruise boat docked on the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans, on Friday at about 12:30 p.m. local time. The cruise boat rolled onto its side and partly sank while passengers were getting off. Everyone aboard both vessels was accounted for and no deaths were reported, officials said.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said 32 people from the cruise boat were taken to hospitals, none with critical injuries. She called the rescue a “miracle on the Mississippi.” The Coast Guard closed part of the river after the collision.

How the collision happened

The tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, lost control and struck the American Heritage, Moreno said. The cruise boat had tied up about two hours earlier so passengers could disembark, according to the Port of New Orleans. As people were leaving, the boat began to sink and then flipped over, putting passengers in the water.

A passenger, Rhonda Akers, told NBC News the tanker hit the boat a second time before it flipped and that she climbed over the railing to get out. Her husband was hospitalized with a head injury, she said. Witness Jamie Holford told WDSU-TV that fifteen minutes passed between impact and the boat rolling over.

U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said there appeared to be a loss of steering on the tanker but that the exact reason was not yet known. Moreno said the tanker narrowly missed a bridge that carries around 160,000 vehicles a day, according to The Guardian.

How many people were aboard

Reports differ on the total. Port NOLA said about 129 passengers were aboard, plus crew. NBC News quoted Moreno as saying there were between 180 and 190 people on the boat. The American Heritage, built in 2015 and run by American Cruise Lines, is five stories tall and can carry up to 150 passengers. NBC News reported it had been about to leave on a seven-day cruise.

Accounts of the injured also vary. CBS News reported 32 passengers in hospitals plus two Harbor Police officers in good condition, while The Guardian said the 32 included the two officers, who went into the river to pull people out. LCMC Health said its hospitals, including University Medical Center New Orleans, received about two dozen patients.

Who responded

Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the Coast Guard handled the rescue, along with private boats that were on the river and stepped in as volunteers. Nearby boats reported pulling more than a dozen people from the water.

What it means for travelers and river traffic

The Coast Guard closed the river to all vessels between mile markers 93 and 96, a 3-mile stretch, while responders worked at the scene. Burnham said officials would look at reopening it as soon as possible. The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority temporarily suspended ferry service across the Mississippi as a precaution and told riders to use other routes.

Investigations ahead

Coast Guard investigators are looking into why the tanker lost control. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would send a team on Saturday; because of a nationwide ground stop on Friday, its investigators are driving to New Orleans instead of flying, and a board member will no longer go. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he will also open an investigation.

The Associated Press reported that the tanker is owned by a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, citing the tracker MarineTraffic. NBC News said public records show the ship is based in the Marshall Islands and owned by Chinese and Liberian companies. It carries asphalt and bitumen, a semisolid material used in road building and roofing.

Sources: CBS News, The Guardian, NBC News