"Miracle on the Mississippi": Tanker collides with river cruise ship in New Orleans

In New Orleans, Louisiana, a tanker collided with a cruise ship that was docked along the Mississippi River. More than 120 passengers were on board the cruise ship, and all of them were rescued, the BBC reports.

Opening a press conference, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno reported that all passengers had been accounted for, with 32 people transported to local hospitals, though none suffered critical injuries.

The mayor also thanked the personnel of all emergency services for their prompt response.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry stated that people were saved thanks to the professional work of rescuers and local authorities.

"This is a true miracle on the Mississippi," he said.

After the collision with the tanker, the vessel listed onto its side and began rapidly taking on water. During the initial phase of the rescue operation, at least 14 people were pulled from the water. Rescuing the remaining passengers took less than two hours.

According to Port Police Chief Melanie Montroll, emergency crews managed to evacuate 87 people from the ship while it remained afloat.

The remaining passengers who ended up in the water were brought onto lifeboats and response cutters over the subsequent 30 to 45 minutes.

The US Coast Guard took an active role in mitigating the aftermath of the collision.

"All vessel traffic on the section of the river between mile markers 93 and 96 has been halted while emergency responders assess the situation and carry out necessary operations," Coast Guard representatives told the BBC.

What is known about the cruise ship

The stricken cruise ship belongs to the American Cruise Lines company and is named the American Heritage. It was built in 2015 and has at least four decks.

The company's website states that the vessel can accommodate up to 150 guests and features a restaurant, a fitness center, and three passenger lounges.

According to MarineTraffic data, the tanker that struck it measures 160 meters in length, which is twice the length of the cruise ship.

According to the mayor of New Orleans, passengers began abandoning the ship as it started going underwater.

What is known about the tanker

The cargo vessel that collided with the cruise ship is the asphalt tanker Atlantic Asphalt.

According to data from the vessel-tracking service MarineTraffic, its route was as follows:

• Since November 11, the vessel had been docked approximately 11 nautical miles (20 kilometers) downriver.
• On Friday around 12:20 p.m. local time, the tanker began traveling up the river.
• About an hour later, around 1:30 p.m. local time, the vessel stopped near the location where it was subsequently spotted next to the moored cruise ship.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno stated at the press conference that the tanker had lost steering control, but the cause remains unknown.

"Apparently, there was some type of steering malfunction," said Captain Melanie Burnham. "What exactly caused it, we do not know yet."

Investigators are reported to be at the scene, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Judging by photos from the scene, the tanker was undamaged or sustained minor damage in the collision. It was towed to a safe distance from where rescue operations are underway.

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