On a Friday midday in New Orleans, the quiet ritual of a river cruise, passengers stepping off a paddlewheel ship at the dock, was broken when a much larger tanker, having apparently lost its steering, struck the vessel. The American Heritage listed, rolled, and spilled people into the Mississippi, and in the human story of rivers and the vessels that depend on them, it is a reminder of how little separates an ordinary afternoon from catastrophe. That no one died, and that strangers in boats turned toward the water to help, gives the day a meaning that outlasts the wreckage, while the cause of
Tanker Strikes Cruise Ship on Mississippi; 32 Hospitalized, All Passengers Accounted For in New Orleans
About 129 passengers and crew were aboard; 32 passengers were hospitalized, none critically, and two harbor police officers were hospitalized in good condition.
A "miracle on the Mississippi": everyone accounted for after the ship flipped
Mark
Start with the basic fact. A tanker hit a docked cruise ship, and nobody died?
Mimi
That's what officials said Friday afternoon. Everyone on both vessels is accounted for, and 32 passengers went to hospitals, none critically hurt.
Mark
The ship was docked, so people were getting off when it happened?
Mimi
Yes. It had docked about two hours before, and passengers were disembarking when the tanker struck. Then it tipped and flipped, and people ended up in the water.
Luke
Careful with "no deaths." That's the official statement from the afternoon briefing. It's a strong one, but it comes from officials, and I'd watch for any update.
Mark
Who pulled people out?
Mimi
Harbor Police, fire, police and the Coast Guard, plus private boats that were on the river. Boats nearby reported rescuing more than a dozen people.
Luke
Worth noting that "more than a dozen" is the boats' own report, not a verified tally of who was rescued by whom.
Mark
And the cause?
Mimi
The Coast Guard's Capt. Burnham said there seems to be a loss of steering, but she said the exact reason isn't known.
Luke
"Seems to be" is the operative phrase. It's an early read, not a finding. The same goes for the tanker's ownership: that comes from the AP via a ship tracker, and the owner hasn't commented yet.
Mark
What's the practical fallout?
Mimi
The river was closed after the collision, and the Coast Guard is working on reopening it. The NTSB's investigators are driving in because of flight disruptions.
O Pulso
- A 150-passenger cruise ship was struck at the dock and capsized within minutes, while many guests were still disembarking.
- Panicked passengers climbed over railings and into the water as the far side of the ship tipped deeper beneath the surface.
- Coast Guard, city police and fire crews, harbor police, and volunteer boaters converged on the river to pull people out.
- Every person aboard both vessels is accounted for with no deaths, though 32 passengers and two officers remain hospitalized, and the river stays closed while investigators probe the tanker's loss of steering.
On a Friday midday in New Orleans, the quiet ritual of a river cruise, passengers stepping off a paddlewheel ship at the dock, was broken when a much larger tanker, having apparently lost its steering, struck the vessel. The American Heritage listed, rolled, and spilled people into the Mississippi, and in the human story of rivers and the vessels that depend on them, it is a reminder of how little separates an ordinary afternoon from catastrophe. That no one died, and that strangers in boats turned toward the water to help, gives the day a meaning that outlasts the wreckage, while the cause of the failure remains for investigators to uncover.
At about 12:30 on Friday afternoon, the American Heritage, a paddlewheel river cruise ship, was tied up at a dock near the Port of New Orleans. It had arrived about two hours earlier so its passengers could leave, and many were still gathering their things when a much larger tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, slammed into it. Mayor Helena Moreno said the tanker had lost control. Within moments the cruise ship began to sink, then toppled and flipped, and people were in the river.
About 129 passengers and crew had been aboard. Port Harbor Police, city fire and police, and the Coast Guard all responded, and so did private boats that happened to be on the river. Those boaters went out as volunteers and pulled people from the water. By late afternoon, officials said everyone from both vessels was accounted for and no one had died. Thirty-two passengers were taken to hospitals, none critically, and two harbor police officers were also hospitalized in good condition. Moreno called it a "miracle on the Mississippi."
A witness, Jamie Holford, described watching people hurry off the boat and then climb over the railings as it rolled. The Coast Guard says the tanker appeared to suffer a steering failure, but the reason is still unknown. The NTSB will investigate, and the river remains closed while officials plan how to reopen it. The owner of the tanker, a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned shipbuilder, has not yet commented.
At about 12:30 p.m. on Friday, a tanker called the Atlantic Asphalt slammed into the American Heritage, a paddlewheel river cruise ship tied up at the dock near the Port of New Orleans. The cruise boat had arrived roughly two hours earlier so passengers could get off. Many were still disembarking when the much larger vessel hit.
According to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, the tanker lost control. The cruise ship began to sink, then toppled over and flipped, and people went into the river. Some were seen in life jackets, others standing near the railing as the far side of the ship tipped deeper into the water. Port NOLA said about 129 passengers were aboard, in addition to the crew.
The rescue drew on nearly everyone nearby. Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard all responded. So did private boats that happened to be on the river, which Moreno said went out as volunteers to pull people from the water. Nearby boats reported rescuing more than a dozen people.
By late Friday afternoon, officials said everyone aboard both vessels was accounted for and no deaths had been reported. Moreno said 32 passengers were taken to area hospitals, none with critical injuries, and that no one on the tanker was hurt. Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said two of her officers were also hospitalized during the rescue and were in good condition. Moreno called the outcome a "miracle on the Mississippi."
Jamie Holford, a witness, told CBS News he watched the American Heritage hit the dock after the collision. He saw people hurrying off the boat, and then, as it rolled, some climbing over the railings. "It looked like something off the Titanic," he said. Of the sound, he said it was like a war movie, "tons of steel crunching."
Why the tanker lost control is not yet known. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said investigators were on scene and that there seemed to be some kind of loss of steering, but that the exact reason was not known. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would send a "Go Team" on Saturday. In a follow-up post, it said that because of canceled and delayed flights, it would no longer send one of its board members, and its investigators would drive to New Orleans instead of flying.
The Coast Guard closed the river when the collision occurred. Burnham said she was working on reopening it and that officials would begin evaluating how to do so as soon as possible. President Trump, in a Truth Social post, praised the Coast Guard and other agencies for the rescue work.
The American Heritage was built in 2015 and is operated by American Cruise Lines. It has five stories and holds up to 150 passengers. The Associated Press, citing the shipping tracker MarineTraffic, reports that the tanker is owned by a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a Chinese state-owned conglomerate. The vessel specializes in carrying large quantities of asphalt and bitumen. CBS News has asked the owner for comment.
What to watch next: the findings of the Coast Guard and NTSB investigations on the steering failure, and the timeline for reopening the river.
Citações Notáveis
The investigation is still ongoing, there seems to be some kind of a loss of steering. The exact reason why, we don't know that.— U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham
Moreno called the successful rescue a "miracle on the Mississippi."— New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno
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