On a Friday in New Orleans, a tanker that appears to have lost its steering drifted into a docked river cruise ship, and the American Heritage rolled onto its side in the Mississippi, pitching nearly a hundred people into cold brown water. That everyone survived, many of them because they had already been fitted with life vests, is the kind of mercy that makes a disaster feel briefly less like an ending than a warning. The larger question, still open, is why a vessel carrying asphalt across the river could no longer be steered, and whether the machinery that keeps such traffic safe will be und
New Orleans Port Sues to Seize Tanker That Crashed Into Docked Cruise Ship on the Mississippi
Dozens of passengers and crew were thrown into the Mississippi River, and 32 people were taken to hospitals, including two police officers.
"They taught us not to drown."
Mark
Everyone survived, which seems almost unlikely given a ship rolled over. What made the difference?
Mimi
Police Chief Melanie Montroll pointed to the life vests. The crew had people on the third deck putting them on before the ship rolled, so when about 100 people went into the river, they could float while rescuers reached them.
Mark
Why did the port sue within hours instead of waiting for investigators?
Mimi
The suit claims at least $1 million in terminal damage, and it led to a judge's warrant giving federal officials control of the ship. The stated aim is making sure investigators can seize it.
Luke
Let me slow down on the ownership angle. The Chinese state-owned parent comes from MarineTraffic, not from the court filing or officials.
Mimi
True. The IMO lists Nave Shipping SA, in Monrovia, as owner, and it is a defendant. The link to China State Shipbuilding Corporation is MarineTraffic's attribution.
Luke
And nothing says ownership had any role in the crash.
Mimi
Right. Capt. Melanie Burnham said the tanker appeared to lose steering, but the cause is unknown.
Mark
So what is actually known about the damage and the timeline?
Mimi
Thirty-two people went to hospitals, eight were still there Saturday, and none were critical. The cruise ship could take weeks to move, starting with removing 16,000 gallons of fuel.
Luke
The $1 million is the port's own claim, and it's a floor, not a final figure.
O Pulso
- A tanker horn sounded again and again as the Atlantic Asphalt drifted toward a docked cruise ship, and then the impact came hard.
- Within seconds the American Heritage listed, and roughly 100 passengers and crew were flung into the Mississippi.
- Tugboats, other cruise ship captains, workers and police raced to pull people from the 66-degree water.
- The port has sued to hold the tanker, whose owner traces back to a Chinese state conglomerate, while federal officials take control of the vessel.
- The cruise ship lies stubbornly on its side against the terminal, and crews must pump out 16,000 gallons of fuel before it can budge.
- Investigators from the NTSB are on their way, and the cause of the lost steering remains a mystery as river traffic prepares to resume.
On a Friday in New Orleans, a tanker that appears to have lost its steering drifted into a docked river cruise ship, and the American Heritage rolled onto its side in the Mississippi, pitching nearly a hundred people into cold brown water. That everyone survived, many of them because they had already been fitted with life vests, is the kind of mercy that makes a disaster feel briefly less like an ending than a warning. The larger question, still open, is why a vessel carrying asphalt across the river could no longer be steered, and whether the machinery that keeps such traffic safe will be understood before it fails again.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was the blare of a tanker's horn, sounding over and over as the vessel drifted toward the cruise ship docked in New Orleans. Passenger Joe Knab later described the impact as hard, and the ship began to lean almost at once. The crew had already gathered passengers on the third deck and handed out life vests, preparing to evacuate. Before they could, the boat rolled onto its side and tipped Knab and roughly 100 others into the Mississippi.
Rescue came quickly from tugboat operators, captains of other cruise ships, nearby workers and police. All 197 passengers and crew survived, along with the tanker's crew. Thirty-two people were taken to hospitals, including two police officers who were thrown into the river, and eight remained hospitalized on Saturday. Knab spent about fifteen minutes in the water, convinced at times he was drowning, and credited his years in the Navy with keeping him afloat. Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll believes the life vests were the single factor that saved the most lives.
The tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, was bound for New Orleans and is owned by a Liberian company that MarineTraffic links to a large Chinese state shipbuilding conglomerate. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans sued within hours, citing at least $1 million in terminal damage, and a judge granted federal officials control of the ship. The tanker has been towed away, but the cruise ship remains on its side, and moving it could take weeks once the fuel is removed. The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to determine why the steering failed, and their answer will shape what comes next.
The first warning aboard the American Heritage was the sound of a tanker's horn, blasted several times as the vessel drifted toward the docked river cruise ship in New Orleans. Passenger Joe Knab described that sequence to WDSU-TV. Then came the impact, which he said was hard, and the ship began to lean almost at once.
The crew gathered passengers on the third deck, handed out life vests, and began preparing to get everyone off. Before that could happen, the boat rolled onto its side and sent Knab and roughly 100 other passengers and crew into the Mississippi. The water was 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius). Tugboat operators, captains of other cruise ships, nearby workers and police moved in to pull people out.
All 197 passengers and crew on 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 on Saturday.
Knab, who said he spent about 15 minutes in the water, told the station he kept bobbing under and thought he was drowning. He added that the river doesn't taste very good. He credited his 20 years in the Navy: "They taught us not to drown." On Saturday he was still in his muddy jeans, wearing a shirt from the Hilton where passengers had gathered. 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 having passengers in life vests while they waited to disembark likely saved a number of lives when the ship suddenly turned into the water. In her view, whether the water is 10 feet or 200 feet deep, getting people into vests so they could float while rescuers retrieved them was the best factor in the outcome. The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations.
Within hours of the crash, the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed suit over the tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt. The filing says the vessel caused at least $1 million in damage to the port's terminal. A judge issued a warrant on Friday giving federal officials control of the ship for now, so investigators can seize it.
The Atlantic Asphalt is 520 feet (160 meters) long and sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. According to MarineTraffic, it was bound for New Orleans and specializes in carrying large quantities of asphalt and bitumen, the 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 identifies Nave Shipping as a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a large Chinese state-owned conglomerate.
Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham told reporters on Saturday that the tanker has been towed away, but the cruise ship remains on its side against a terminal, and moving it could take weeks. The first task is removing the 16,000 gallons (60,500 liters) of fuel aboard. River traffic has been limited, though Burnham expects boats to move both upstream and downstream soon.
The tanker appeared to lose steering, Burnham said, but the exact cause is not known. The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to New Orleans, and their findings will determine what happens next with the vessel and the lawsuit.
Citações Notáveis
Having people put on life vests and float while rescuers retrieved them was the best factor of success.— Melanie Montroll, New Orleans Harbor Police Chief
They taught us not to drown.— Joe Knab, passenger and Navy veteran
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Leia o original em U.S. News & World Report ↗