NEW ORLEANS: Every person aboard a river cruise boat struck by a tanker on the Mississippi River in New Orleans was alive and accounted for on Friday, the city’s mayor said, after the collision tipped the docked boat onto its side, sent passengers into the water and put 32 people in the hospital.
The tanker Atlantic Asphalt hit the American Heritage, a five-deck riverboat operated by American Cruise Lines, at about 12:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET) near mile marker 96, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Port of New Orleans. The riverboat had docked about two hours earlier, at the end of an eight-day river cruise, and passengers were getting off when the tanker struck, according to AP and Port of New Orleans spokesperson Kimberly Curth.
As passengers tried to leave, the boat began rolling over before everyone could get off, Mayor Helena Moreno told reporters. “Eventually the cruise ship toppled over and flipped. When that occurred, we started to have people in the water,” Moreno said. A witness told WDSU that the boat rolled onto its side within about 15 minutes of the impact. Video showed people in life jackets being pulled from the river onto nearby vessels, AP reported.
About 129 passengers, in addition to crew, were aboard the American Heritage, officials said. At least 14 people were rescued from the water, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said, and CBS News reported the same figure. The New Orleans Fire Department sent 23 units and 57 personnel. Passengers brought ashore were taken into the Port of New Orleans Administration Building for triage.
Moreno said 32 people were taken to area hospitals for injuries officials did not describe, and none was reported in critical condition. “At this moment, the information that we have, we have zero people unaccounted for,” the mayor said, “which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi.”
The Coast Guard has closed the river to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 while responders assess the scene, Coast Guard Heartland District spokesperson Tasha Smith said. In plain terms, no ships, towboats or barges can pass through that three-mile stretch in either direction until the Coast Guard reopens it.
Moreno said the tanker apparently lost its steering before it struck the riverboat. Officials have not determined what caused the collision. A Coast Guard official told Military Times the service will launch a Marine Board of Investigation, its highest level of inquiry, to find the cause and examine whether any criminal activity is suspected. Maritime salvage crews are among the responders at the scene, according to the same reporting. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said his department put every available asset into the rescue, Reuters reported. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he was heading to New Orleans. American Cruise Lines said its guests and crew were evacuated. “We are in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities,” the company said. “We are deeply concerned for everyone involved.”
Much is still not known. Officials have not said how many crew were aboard either vessel, or how many people in total went into the water. The Atlantic Asphalt is a Marshall Islands flagged asphalt and bitumen tanker, more than 524 feet long and managed by Nave Shipping S.A. of Liberia, according to the shipping tracker MarineTraffic. AP reported it was not immediately clear whether the tanker was carrying cargo when it crashed, and officials have announced no pollution findings. There is no word yet on damage to the American Heritage, when it will be raised, or how long the river closure will last.
This is a developing story. Figures and details are as of 6:05 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, and this story will be updated.
