On a November Friday in New Orleans, a river had a way of reminding everyone who was in charge: a tanker carrying asphalt lost its steering and drifted into the American Heritage, a cruise boat docked along the Mississippi, and the riverboat rolled onto its side. In the muddy water, nearly a hundred people found themselves in a moment that few plan for, and the difference between disaster and tragedy was the work of those who had already put life vests on passengers and of the rescuers who came running. All 197 people aboard survived, though dozens were taken to hospitals, and the question of
New Orleans Port Sues to Seize Tanker That Crashed Into Docked Cruise Ship on Mississippi
32 people hospitalized, including two police officers, after passengers and crew were thrown into the river; all 197 aboard survived.
They taught us not to drown.
Mark
Everyone survived, which seems almost improbable given about 100 people ended up in the river.
Mimi
The life vests are the detail officials keep returning to. Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said having passengers wearing them while they waited to get off likely saved a number of lives when the boat rolled.
Mark
Why would the port sue within hours? That's fast.
Mimi
The suit seeks to make sure federal investigators can take control of the tanker. A judge issued a warrant Friday giving federal officials control for now, and the port says the ship did at least $1 million in damage to its terminal.
Luke
Worth noting that $1 million is the port's claim in a lawsuit, not an assessed figure.
Mark
And the Chinese ownership? Is that significant?
Mimi
The reporting says Nave Shipping, the owner, is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a state-owned conglomerate. That company hasn't responded to requests for comment.
Luke
But that ownership link comes from MarineTraffic, and nothing in the reporting ties it to the cause of the crash. Right now the only statement on cause is that the tanker appeared to lose steering.
Mark
So what's actually unknown?
Luke
Why it lost steering, and why it drifted toward the cruise ship. The NTSB is just beginning its work.
Mimi
And the cruise ship is still on its side. Fuel removal, 16,000 gallons, comes first, and moving it could take weeks.
El Pulso
- A tanker that lost steering drifted into the docked American Heritage, and the horn sounded again and again before the impact.
- The cruise ship began leaning almost at once, and within moments roughly 100 passengers and crew were thrashing in the cold, muddy Mississippi.
- Tugboat crews, passing cruise captains, dockworkers and police raced to the water while passengers in life vests floated toward rescue.
- The Port of New Orleans sued within hours, and a judge's warrant placed the tanker under federal control while investigators hunt for the cause.
- All 197 aboard survived, but 32 went to hospitals, eight still there on Saturday, and the capsized ship may take weeks to move from its terminal.
On a November Friday in New Orleans, a river had a way of reminding everyone who was in charge: a tanker carrying asphalt lost its steering and drifted into the American Heritage, a cruise boat docked along the Mississippi, and the riverboat rolled onto its side. In the muddy water, nearly a hundred people found themselves in a moment that few plan for, and the difference between disaster and tragedy was the work of those who had already put life vests on passengers and of the rescuers who came running. All 197 people aboard survived, though dozens were taken to hospitals, and the question of how a steering failure could turn a quiet dock into a scene of capsizing now belongs to federal investigators and the courts.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was a horn. Passengers heard the tanker sound it several times as the vessel drifted toward the docked river cruise boat in New Orleans on Friday. Then came the impact, and the ship began to lean almost at once.
The crew gathered passengers, had them put on life vests, and began moving them off the boat. Before that could finish, the vessel rolled. Passenger Joe Knab and about 100 others went into the Mississippi, where the water was 66 degrees. Tugboat operators, captains of other cruise ships, workers, and police rushed to pull people out.
All 197 people aboard survived, as did the tanker's crew. Thirty-two were taken to hospitals, including two police officers thrown into the river. None of the injuries were critical. Knab, who spent about 15 minutes in the water, said he kept bobbing under and thought he would drown. He credited his 20 years in the Navy with keeping him afloat, and said his cellphone still worked even though his belongings were gone.
Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said the decision to put vests on passengers likely saved many lives. Within hours, the Port of New Orleans sued to let federal investigators seize the tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, and a judge issued a warrant giving federal officials control of the ship. The tanker is owned by a company linked to a Chinese state-owned conglomerate, which did not respond to a request for comment.
The tanker has been towed away, but the cruise ship remains on its side against a terminal, and moving it could take weeks. Coast Guard officials said the first step is removing the fuel safely. The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to determine why the tanker lost steering, and their findings are the next thing to watch.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was a horn. Passenger Joe Knab told WDSU-TV that the tanker sounded it several times as the vessel drifted toward the docked river cruise boat in New Orleans on Friday. Then came the impact, and the ship began to lean almost at once.
The crew gathered passengers on the third deck, had them put on life vests, and began getting them off the boat. Before that could finish, the vessel 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 people aboard the American Heritage survived, as did the crew of the tanker. Officials said 32 people were taken to hospitals, 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 guessed he spent about 15 minutes in the water, said he kept bobbing under and thought he was drowning. He said the water does not taste good. He credited his 20 years in the Navy, saying, in effect, that they taught him not to drown. He was still in his muddy jeans, wearing a Hilton hotel shirt, where passengers gathered afterward. The rest of his belongings were in the river, though his cellphone somehow still worked. He hoped to fly home to Wichita, Kansas, but was unsure how Friday's nationwide ground stop would affect that.
New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said the decision to put vests on passengers while they waited to disembark likely saved a number of lives when the boat suddenly turned into the water. Whether the water is 10 feet or 200 feet deep, she said, having people in vests who could float upriver while rescuers retrieved them was the best factor in the outcome.
Within hours of the crash, the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed suit to ensure federal investigators can seize the tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt. The suit says the vessel 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 Atlantic Asphalt is 520 feet (160 meters) long and sails under a Marshall Islands flag. MarineTraffic lists New Orleans as its final destination, and says it specializes in carrying asphalt and bitumen, used in road construction and roofing.
The ship is owned by Nave Shipping SA, registered in Monrovia, Liberia, according to the International Maritime Organization. Nave is a defendant in the suit. MarineTraffic describes it as a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a sprawling state-owned Chinese conglomerate. That company did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
The tanker has been towed from the site, but the cruise ship remains on its side against a terminal, and moving it could take weeks, Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham told reporters Saturday. The first step is removing the 16,000 gallons (60,500 liters) of fuel aboard safely. River traffic has been limited, but Burnham said boats should soon be able to move both upstream and downstream.
The tanker appeared to lose steering, Burnham said, but the exact cause is unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to New Orleans, and their findings will be the next thing to watch.
Citas Notables
Having passengers put on vests and float while rescuers retrieved them was the best factor of success.— Melanie Montroll, New Orleans Harbor Police Chief
The tanker appeared to lose steering, but the exact cause is not known.— Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham
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