A tanker struck a river cruise ship on the Mississippi River near New Orleans, leaving the passenger vessel on its side and largely submerged. Everyone aboard both ships was accounted for and no deaths were reported.
The Atlantic Asphalt hit the American Heritage while the cruise boat was docked at about 12.30pm local time, the Port of New Orleans said. The cruise ship had arrived roughly two hours earlier so passengers could disembark.
New Orleans mayor Helena Moreno said the tanker had “lost control” before hitting the vessel. As people were leaving, the American Heritage began to sink before toppling over and sending passengers into the river.
About 129 passengers, along with crew members, were aboard the American Heritage at the time. Thirty-two passengers were taken to hospitals, though none had critical injuries, Ms Moreno said. No one on the tanker was hurt.
Two New Orleans Harbor Police officers were also taken to hospital during the rescue operation and were in good condition, police chief Melanie Montroll said.
People were seen in life jackets or clinging near the railings as the ship listed further into the water. Nearby boats rescued more than a dozen people, while private vessels joined emergency crews in bringing those in the river to safety.
The response involved Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the US Coast Guard. Ms Moreno described the operation as a “miracle on the Mississippi”.
Witness Jamie Holford said he saw the American Heritage hit the dock after the collision, with passengers hurrying off before some climbed over the railings as the boat rolled.
“It looked like something off the Titanic,” he said.
Describing the noise of the impact, Mr Holford said: “It sounded like a war movie. Just imagine tons of steel crunching. That’s what it sounded like.”
Investigation into tanker collision
Coast Guard investigators were at the scene examining what caused the tanker to lose control. Captain Melanie Burnham said there appeared to have been a steering failure, but that the precise reason remained unknown.
“The investigation is still ongoing, there seems to be some kind of a loss of steering,” Captain Burnham told reporters. “The exact reason why, we don’t know that.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending investigators to begin its own inquiry into the collision. Its team later travelled by road after a nationwide ground stop disrupted flights.
The Coast Guard had closed the river after the crash and was assessing when it could reopen the waterway. Captain Burnham said officials would begin evaluating that “as soon as possible”.
President Donald Trump praised the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies for their rescue response in Louisiana.
The American Heritage was built in 2015 and is operated by American Cruise Lines. The five-storey paddlewheel boat can carry up to 150 passengers.
The Atlantic Asphalt is owned by a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, according to shipping-tracker information cited in reports. It carries asphalt and bitumen, materials commonly used in road construction and roofing.
