On a Friday in New Orleans, a tanker that appears to have lost its steering drifted into a docked river cruise ship, and in an instant the ordinary rhythm of a riverside evening gave way to lurching decks, cold brown water, and strangers pulling one another to safety. Everyone aboard the American Heritage survived, though dozens were taken to hospitals and a cruise that had been nearing its end became a wreck lying on its side against a port terminal. The cause remains unsettled, and the questions now belong to federal investigators, a court, and a river city that must wait while its waterway
New Orleans Port Sues to Secure Tanker That Crashed Into Cruise Ship on Mississippi River
Thirty-two people were taken to hospital after passengers and crew were thrown into the Mississippi River, with eight still hospitalized the day after the crash.
Mark
What is the thing that stands out most here?
Mimi
That everyone lived. About 100 people ended up in the river, and all 197 aboard the cruise ship survived. The harbor police chief pointed to the life vests the crew had passengers put on before the boat rolled.
Mark
Why would a port sue within hours?
Mimi
The suit claims at least $1 million in terminal damage, and it lets a judge grant federal officials control of the tanker. The warrant came the same day.
Luke
Worth noting that the $1 million is the port's claim in a filing, not an assessed figure. And the suit doesn't establish why the crash happened.
Mark
The ship's ownership is getting attention. Does it matter?
Mimi
The reporting says the owner, Nave Shipping, is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. That company hasn't responded to a request for comment.
Luke
And that link comes from MarineTraffic, a tracking service, not from the company or a regulator. Nothing in the reporting ties ownership to the loss of steering. The cause is unknown.
Mark
What is known about the cause?
Mimi
Only that the tanker appeared to lose steering, according to the Coast Guard's Capt. Melanie Burnham. The NTSB is sending investigators.
Luke
"Appeared" is doing real work in that sentence. Until investigators report, it is an observation, not a finding.
Mark
What happens next?
Mimi
Fuel removal comes first, 16,000 gallons from the cruise ship, then the salvage, which could take weeks.
El Pulso
- A tanker drifting toward a docked cruise ship sounded its horn several times before the impact tore into the vessel.
- The American Heritage began to lean, then rolled suddenly, throwing roughly a hundred passengers and crew into the Mississippi.
- All 197 aboard survived, but 32 were hospitalized, including two police officers flung into the river, and eight remained in care the next day.
- The port sued to hold the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, which caused at least $1 million in terminal damage, and a judge gave federal officials control of the ship.
- The cruise ship lies on its side and may take weeks to move, while 16,000 gallons of fuel are being removed and river traffic stays restricted.
- Investigators from the Coast Guard and NTSB are working to learn why the tanker lost steering, and the answer is still unknown.
On a Friday in New Orleans, a tanker that appears to have lost its steering drifted into a docked river cruise ship, and in an instant the ordinary rhythm of a riverside evening gave way to lurching decks, cold brown water, and strangers pulling one another to safety. Everyone aboard the American Heritage survived, though dozens were taken to hospitals and a cruise that had been nearing its end became a wreck lying on its side against a port terminal. The cause remains unsettled, and the questions now belong to federal investigators, a court, and a river city that must wait while its waterway and its shoreline are slowly set right.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was a horn. Passenger Joe Knab told reporters that the tanker Atlantic Asphalt sounded it several times as it drifted toward the cruise ship docked in New Orleans. Then came the impact, and the ship began to lean.
The crew gathered passengers on the third deck, handed out life vests, and began guiding them toward the exits. Before they could get out, the boat rolled over. Knab and about a hundred others were thrown into the muddy Mississippi, where the water was cold and the current was strong. Tugboat crews, nearby workers, other cruise captains, and police rushed to pull people from the river.
All 197 passengers and crew on the American Heritage survived, as did the tanker's crew. Thirty-two people were taken to hospital, among them two officers who had been thrown into the water. None of the injuries were critical, though eight people were still hospitalized the next day. Knab, a Navy veteran, said he spent about fifteen minutes in the water and believed for a moment he would drown. Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said the life vests likely saved many lives.
The port filed suit within hours to allow federal investigators to seize the tanker, which it says caused at least $1 million in damage to its terminal. A judge granted federal officials control of the ship. The tanker, owned through a Liberian-registered company that MarineTraffic links to a Chinese state-owned shipbuilding conglomerate, has been towed away, and that company did not respond to a request for comment.
The cruise ship remains on its side against the terminal and may take weeks to move. Its 16,000 gallons of fuel must be removed first, and river traffic is expected to resume gradually. The cause is still unknown. The tanker appeared to lose steering, and the National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to determine what happened.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was a horn. Passenger Joe Knab told WDSU-TV that the tanker Atlantic Asphalt sounded it several times as the vessel drifted toward the docked river cruise ship in New Orleans. Then it hit, hard, and the cruise ship began to lean.
The crew gathered passengers on the third deck, had them put on life vests, and started moving them toward the exits. Before they could get off, the boat suddenly rolled. Knab and about 100 other passengers and crew went into the muddy Mississippi, where the water was 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius). Tugboat operators, captains of other cruise ships, nearby workers, police and other rescuers rushed to pull people out.
All 197 passengers and crew on the American Heritage survived the Friday crash, as did the crew of the tanker. Officials said 32 people were taken to hospital, among them two police officers who were thrown into the river when the boat rolled. None of the injuries were critical, and eight people were still hospitalized Saturday. The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations.
Knab, who flies home to Wichita, Kansas, said he was in the water about 15 minutes. He recalled bobbing under the surface and thinking he was drowning, and he noted the river water does not taste good. He credited his 20 years in the Navy, joking that they taught him not to drown. He was wearing jeans caked in mud and a shirt from the Hilton where passengers gathered, and the rest of his belongings were in the river. His cellphone, somehow, still worked. He was unsure how Friday's nationwide ground stop would affect his trip home.
New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said the life vests likely saved a number of lives when the boat turned into the water. Whether the water is 10 feet or 200 feet deep, she said, having people wearing vests and floating while rescuers retrieved them was the best factor in the outcome.
Within hours, the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed suit to make sure federal investigators could seize the tanker. The suit says the Atlantic Asphalt caused at least $1 million in damage to the port's terminal. A judge issued a warrant Friday giving federal officials control of the ship for now.
The vessel is 520 feet (160 meters) long, flies the flag of the Marshall Islands, and, according to MarineTraffic, was bound for New Orleans. It carries large quantities of asphalt and bitumen, a semi-solid material used in road construction and roofing. The International Maritime Organization lists its owner as Nave Shipping SA, registered in Monrovia, Liberia, which is a defendant in the suit. MarineTraffic describes Nave Shipping as a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a state-owned Chinese conglomerate. That company did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
The tanker has been towed from the site, but Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham told reporters Saturday that moving the cruise ship could take weeks. It remains on its side against a terminal. The first step is safely removing the 16,000 gallons (60,500 liters) of fuel aboard. River traffic has been limited, though Burnham said boats should soon be able to move both upstream and downstream.
The cause is not known. The tanker appeared to lose steering, Burnham said, and the National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to New Orleans. Their findings, along with the fuel removal and the salvage of the cruise ship, are what to watch next.
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