All 180 people aboard the American Heritage river cruise boat were accounted for after it was struck by the Atlantic Asphalt tanker in the Mississippi River at the port of New Orleans.
All 180 passengers and crew aboard the American Heritage river cruise boat were accounted for after it was struck by the Atlantic Asphalt tanker in the Mississippi River at the port of New Orleans on Friday, November 13, 2026.
The American Heritage was docked when the much larger Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck it, causing the cruise boat to take on water and flip onto its side. The tanker apparently lost its steering before the collision, according to the mayor.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said 32 people were taken to the hospital, and none of them had critical injuries. She said there were zero people unaccounted for.
Tugboat operators, nearby workers, police and several other rescuers rushed to help. Dozens of people on board and at least two police officers were dragged from the 66-degree Fahrenheit (19-degree Celsius) river onto nearby ships.
The Coast Guard closed a section of the Mississippi River to boat traffic as it conducted the rescue operation. American Cruise Lines conducted a roll call in a nearby auditorium that accounted for everyone not being treated in hospital.
An investigation has been opened into the crash. Experts say it is too soon to determine what caused the incident, but early evidence points to a catastrophic system failure onboard the tanker.
Martin Davies, a maritime law expert at Tulane University, said the tanker was sailing slowly upriver and against the current and had already safely cleared a difficult turn at Algiers Point. He said local pilots are used to provide guidance onboard vessels given their extensive knowledge of the waters.
According to the National Maritime Organisation, the tanker is owned by Nave Shipping SA, a company registered in Monrovia, Liberia, which is a subsidiary of Chinese state firm China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were delayed arriving at the scene after air travel was suspended across the US for five hours on Friday afternoon.
The collision left the American Heritage partially submerged on its side, but all aboard survived. Authorities have called the outcome a miracle on the Mississippi.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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