A tanker collided with a river cruise ship in New Orleans, Louisiana, leaving more than 30 people injured and triggering a major rescue operation on the Mississippi River. The cruise vessel, the American Heritage, was carrying 129 passengers when the collision occurred and partially sank following the impact.
At least 12 people were pulled from the water, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser told television station WDSU. He said he did not yet have a complete picture of the rescue operation. Emergency services continued working at the scene as authorities responded to the incident.
The American Heritage is operated by American Cruise Lines, which confirmed the collision. The company said that passengers and crew members had been rescued but did not provide details about their condition or the number of people injured.
Footage from the scene showed the significantly larger tanker, Atlantic Asphalt, striking the cruise ship, which appeared to be alongside a dock at the time. Images showed people wearing life jackets in the water, while others stood along the cruise vessel’s railing as one side of the ship gradually sank further beneath the surface.
The American Heritage had docked approximately two hours before the collision, according to the report. The circumstances surrounding the impact were not immediately clear.
Firefighters, police officers, port authorities, the US Coast Guard and other emergency personnel were deployed to the scene. The Mississippi River was closed to vessel traffic in the immediate vicinity of the collision to facilitate rescue operations and allow emergency crews to work.
The incident prompted a response from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who announced on X that he was travelling to New Orleans. “We are aware of the incident on the Mississippi River and are in close contact with local authorities and law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Authorities had not yet provided a complete account of the casualties or the condition of everyone aboard the cruise ship as rescue operations continued.
